Brydon Carse propels England to eight-wicket victory

Brydon Carse bowled England to a commanding victory in the first Test against New Zealand, underlining his status as a rising star in Christchurch.

Carse caught the eye on unhelpful pitches in Pakistan in his debut series, but showcased the full extent of his match-winning abilities with a 10-wicket haul in Christchurch.

The Durham seamer followed up figures of four for 62 in the first innings with a destructive six for 42 to kill off Kiwi resistance on day four at the Hagley Oval.

He took three of New Zealand’s last four wickets to leave the tourists with a gentle chase of 104.

That was just enough for Jacob Bethell to get in on the act, the 21-year-old scripting the perfect finish to his debut by reaching 50 not out and hitting the winning run as England romped home by eight wickets.

His 37-ball cameo, including three fours and a six, offered a tantalising glimpse of his quality, but the heavy lifting had already been done with the ball.

When record wicket-taker James Anderson was ushered into retirement last summer it was to make room for bowlers like Carse, whose mix of pace, bounce and outright hostility mark him out as a potentially devastating prospect and an Ashes threat next winter.

Anderson himself took 10 in a match only three times in a career that brought him 704 Test scalps, while the last English seamer to do so overseas was Ryan Sidebottom in 2008.

The scale of Carse’s achievement in just his third appearance is even more remarkable given he last took a first-class five-for more than three years ago.

There was one worrying moment when Ben Stokes withdrew himself from the attack midway through his fifth over with concerns over a stiff back, but the skipper deemed himself fit enough to stay on the field and direct operations.

Stokes has missed four of England’s last seven Tests with a hamstring injury, only just resuming full bowling duties following a long-standing knee complaint.

England will want to monitor his condition ahead of the second Test in Wellington but at this stage there are no major concerns.

England held all the cards at the start of play, New Zealand starting six down with a wafer-thin lead of four.

Carse took it on himself to get things moving, kicking off with a barrage of bouncers early on before zeroing in on the stumps to claim his rewards. He struck twice in his fourth over, umpire Ahsan Raza raising his finger for a pair of lbws.

Nathan Smith was first to go, Carse coming wide on the crease and jagging one back off the pitch, and Matt Henry was beaten by a full-length delivery that exploded into his front pad at shin height.

That sealed a maiden five-wicket haul but Carse was not finished yet, returning late in an extended opening session to finish off a stubborn last-wicket stand of 45 between Daryl Mitchell and Will O’Rourke. Mitchell tried to collar him down the ground but failed to find the middle and picked out the catcher at long-off.

Mitchell’s knock of 84 ensured England’s chase would have some substance and they proceeded to peel the runs off with abandon.

Zak Crawley was caught and bowled by Henry for a single as he followed up his first-innings duck in disappointing fashion, but Duckett and Bethell launched 54 off the next 33 balls.

Tim Southee was rinsed for 27 in three overs, looking every inch a man heading into retirement at the end of the series.

Duckett was caught for 27 off O’Rourke’s first ball but Bethell took charge. He looked entirely at home in his surroundings and will look back with particular fondness on a huge pull that landed 20 yards back on the grass banks.

England’s win flipped the form book on its head. Stokes’ side arrived fresh from a 2-1 defeat to Pakistan and with three losses in their last four games, while New Zealand celebrated a sensational 3-0 whitewash in India only weeks ago.

Now, though, it is the hosts who have questions to answer with the dropping of Will Young looking an error following his heroics in that series.

England will have wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson available after he joined the squad as injury cover, but could be tempted to leave the gloves with Ollie Pope and retain a winning formula with Bethell at three.