Recap: New Zealand at 319 for eight at end of day one

CHRISTCHURCH: England managed to take eight wickets in the Black Cap’s first innings on Thursday, while the New Zealand made 319 runs in 83 overs before the end of day one.

NEW ZEALAND’S BATTING

New Zealand had a few impressive batting performances that carried them to their first innings total of 319, with a couple batsmen tragically falling short of some milestones. Kane Williamson, who is touted as being one of New Zealand’s greatest batsmen, was only seven runs off yet another test century. He is currently ranked 12th all time for most test centuries in tests, and had he gotten his 33rd on Thursday, he would have been tied for 11th, and only one away from joining the four-way tie for seventh.

Regardless, it was an impressive performance form the 34-year-old, as he made 93 runs off 197 deliveries, hitting 10 fours in the process. The second highest total belonged to New Zealand skipper Tom Latham. He too fell just short of adding another stripe to his illustrious career, having been dismissed just three runs short of what would’ve been his 31st half century.

Glenn Phillips is still standing and is closing in on the fifth half century of his test career. He currently has 41 runs, which he made off 58 deliveries.

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ENGLAND’S BOWLING

BASHIR

Shoaib Bashir was the stand out bowler for England, as the spinner took three wickets, beginning with Ravindra, who he sent off in the 32^nd over. Ravindra took a step forward, turning a length delivery into a full toss that he slapped straight into Zac Crawley’s hands. Bashir would take another wicket in the 66th over. This time it was Tom Blundell, who played a shot off his backfoot, sending the ball through the air and to Gus Atkinson who made the catch.

A few overs later, Bashir would dismiss New Zealand’s test debutant, Nathan Smith. The delivery clipped Smith’s bat as he nudged the ball to leg slip, where Joe Root took a comfortable catch. Bashir’s fourth, and the final wicket of the day, came in the 79th over. This time it was Matt Henry who was forced to leave the field after a hard swing sent the ball right to Ben Duckett at long on. The wicket brought an end to a great late game partnership that put on some much-needed runs on the board for the Black Caps.

ATKINSON AND CARSE

Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse took two wickets each themselves. Atkinson took his first in the second over of the match, sending off Devon Conway on a delivery that the Kiwi slapped right back to Atkinson, who managed to hold onto the ball. His second would come in the 61st over, and this time it would be Williamson. The New Zealand batter’s incredible innings would come to an end on a delivery that had a little extra lift to it, catching Williamson off guard as he hit it towards backward point, where Crawley was ready to take his second catch of the day.

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The first of Carse’s two wickets came in the 14th over after his delivery caught the inside edge of the New Zealand skipper’s bat before settling in the gloves of England wicket-keeper, Ollie Pope. Carse’s second would send off Darryl Mitchell in the 53rd over. Mitchell tried to pull the delivery towards leg side, but instead the ball popped up high after taking a leading edge, before it dropped down into the hands of Harry Brook at deep third.