Ben Stokes was Mr Grumpy in Pakistan but there was a hint of a smile back on his face at the end of the first day of the Test series against New Zealand after his side kept in touch with New Zealand despite being below their best.
Stokes started this tour apologising to everyone for losing his cool and failing to inspire his team when they needed him in Pakistan.
At Hagley Oval, his decision to bowl first and some wasteful use of the ball could have made him testy again as New Zealand coasted to 199 for three with Kane Williamson batting as if he was strolling in Christchurch’s botanical gardens and sniffing the flowers.
But England hung in, stuck together and thanks to Shoaib Bashir and Brydon Carse, as well as some charitable New Zealand batting, they stayed strong on an arm-wrestle kind of day.
One of Stokes’s grand projects is the development of Bashir, believing his height and bounce can be an asset in Australia next year. He kept Bashir on when he was hit for fours, putting 20 overs in him on day one on a seamer’s pitch, and the offspinner responded by keeping England in the game on a day when both teams had regrets.
Jack Leach is in the squad and outbowled Bashir in Pakistan. But in 15C cooler temperatures and with more grass on the surface than in the entire city of Multan, Bashir finished with four for 69 on a pitch renowned as a spin bowler’s graveyard. Only once before has a spinner grabbed four in an innings at this ground.
He bowled better as the day wore on and he became accustomed to a strong breeze blowing across the ground. Apart from dropping short to Williamson a few times, he was pretty accurate, keeping the run-scoring down and benefitting from some poor shots, New Zealanders perhaps surprised by his bounce when facing him for the first time.
His first wicket was fortuitous, a full toss that Rachin Ravindra bunted to short midwicket, but the more Bashir bowled, the better his flight and he had his best day since the Trent Bridge Test against West Indies in June, considering the conditions on a grassy day-one pitch.
England’s seamers were nowhere near their best with Chris Woakes again looking a different bowler on foreign soil while Gus Atkinson struggled with a no ball problem (he bowled seven) and they were too short with the new ball. England conceded 35 in extras and their over-rate was woeful.
Carse was the pick of the seamers again. His pace and aggression was such an asset with the old ball, pushing set batsmen back, giving the leg theory tactic some teeth.
New Zealand Test cricket is on a high after the India 3-0 result and a sold out Hagley Oval looked a picture on a hot, sunny day with the grassy banks packed with picnickers. Test cricket is on free-to-air television in New Zealand too, the board accepting the greater reach is more important than a few more dollars, and there is huge interest in this series. The Basin Reserve is sold out next week.
On the evidence of the first day it will be good viewing across the three Tests with two fairly even teams and New Zealand will surely learn not to hand England a way back like they did here.
Of the first seven wickets to fall only Tom Latham can really claim to have been bowled out by England, a wonderful bouncing delivery that moved away taking his edge after a bright start that included six fours in his 47.
Devon Conway played an expansive drive in the first over from Atkinson, who grabbed a sharp chance in his follow through.
Ravindra is ultra positive, no surprise given he used to wear McCullum’s name on his New Zealand shirt as a child. He was expansive before lunch but played a horrible shot to Bashir’s full bunger that really should have whacked out the park.
Daryl Mitchell top edged to fly slip, Tom Blundell cut to point and debutant Nathan Smith lamely clipped Bashir round the corner to leg slip.
Even the great Williamson caught the bug, cutting a loosener from the first ball of Atkinson’s evening spell to gully for 93; stunned, he looked to the heavens before dragging himself off.
At 252 for seven, England should have finished New Zealand off but Glenn Phillips stroked a spiky unbeaten 41 to even it up.
Stokes mixed up his tactics, keeping his slip cordon packed in the first session, throwing the bodyline line challenge in later before reverting back to orthodox fields. He was constantly cajoling Bashir, the smile and arm round the shoulder returned after the cold shoulder of Pakistan.
Woakes was the let down, he failed to make batsmen play enough with the new ball and never threatened. He averages 54 in Kookabura-ball countries – South Africa, New Zealand and Australia – with a strike rate of a wicket every 105 balls and England need to put games now in Matt Potts and Olly Stone, the back up bowlers on tour, if they are going to widen the Ashes pool.
The pitch had a thick covering of grass and both sides would have bowled first. The hot nor’wester wind blew in from the mountains drying it out and there was barely any seam movement to play with all day, let alone swing. Woakes was neutered.
Williamson was in fine touch as he made his return after missing the India tour with a hamstring injury. He looked totally at home, unfussily batting in his own world. He swept Jacob Bethell’s first ball in Test cricket for four, walloped Bashir when he lost his line, drilled Carse for back to back fours and was serenely making his way to a hundred when his eyes lit up for some width outside off stump after a diet of short balls at his body. He cut straight to Crawley, falling in the 90s for the first time in six years.
05:35 AM GMT
The thoughts of Kane Williamson
“It was challenging and we had to work hard. The ball did a little bit throughout. The pitch here is usually pretty good. It was about trying to adjust and running well between the wickets. I think we applied ourselves well and it was a pretty balanced day of Test cricket. Both teams worked really hard and from our perspective we were happy with the partnerships we built. It will depend on how the surface changes throughout as to how valuable today was. It is nice to be back with the team.”
05:31 AM GMT
Close of play
Off the penultimate ball, Atkinson finds the inside edge of Phillips’ bat as he attempted a big drive but the edge falls short of Pope.
There is not enough time for another over and that is the close on day one. New Zealand finish up on 319-8 and, having been put into bat, they will probably be the happier of the two sides.
05:26 AM GMT
OVER 82: NZ 318/8 (Southee 10 Phillips 40)
Chris Woakes will bowl from the other end with the new ball. We may only get one more over in today, which would mean we would be seven overs short.
05:21 AM GMT
OVER 81: NZ 317/8 (Southee 10 Phillips 40)
We are into the final 15 minutes of the day and England immediately take the new ball. Gus Atkinson will have first use of this new cherry.
Southee plays a lofted shot into the offside and it is just out of reach for Stokes at wide mid-off. He went one-handed but it was just out of his grasp. Southee comes back for two.
05:16 AM GMT
OVER 80: NZ 312/8 (Southee 6 Phillips 40)
Southee pulls Carse away and gets his first four of his innings, which brings up the New Zealand 300.
Carse bangs it in short again but it is wayward and runs away for four byes, Carse probably fortunate that it was not called wides.
Phillips pulls the final ball of the 80th over away for four in front of square.
The second new ball is now due.
05:11 AM GMT
OVER 79: NZ 299/8 (Southee 1 Phillips 36)
Tim Southee is in at number ten and is off the mark first ball with a single to point.
05:09 AM GMT
Wicket
Henry c Duckett b Bashir 18 Bashir has his fourth wicket of the innings. Henry comes down the ground and tries to go over the top but he only manages to pick out Duckett at long-on, who safely takes the catch. The end of a dangerous-looking partnership. FOW 298/8
05:04 AM GMT
OVER 78: NZ 297/7 (Henry 18 Phillips 35)
As we enter the extra half an hour, Brydon Carse is back on. Just the one run courtesy of a no-ball in that over.
04:59 AM GMT
OVER 77: NZ 296/7 (Henry 18 Phillips 35)
Phillips gets a thick outside edge that flies over the slip cordon and runs away for four. He then powers one through the covers for four. I am surprised that Stokes kept himself on for another over.
England then appeal for a caught behind and most of the fielders look convinced so Stokes reviews. I have no idea why. Yet another terrible review from England. They are useless at deciding on what to review and what not to review.
04:53 AM GMT
OVER 76: NZ 288/7 (Henry 18 Phillips 27)
Phillips drives Bashir through wide mid-off for two. England have just allowed New Zealand off the hook a little here.
04:49 AM GMT
OVER 75: NZ 283/7 (Henry 17 Phillips 23)
Stokes now has a field designed for short-pitch bowling so here comes some chin music. Henry gives himself some space to hit over the offside for three. That is really poor fielding from Bashir as there should never have been three there.
04:44 AM GMT
OVER 74: NZ 278/7 (Henry 14 Phillips 21)
Phillips pulls away when Bashir drops short and he comes back for two. He then dispatches Bashir over Crawley’s head at deep midwicket for six. Too short from Bashir.
04:40 AM GMT
OVER 73: NZ 267/7 (Henry 13 Phillips 11)
Henry punches off the back foot through the covers for four, just! It only just reached the boundary.
He then hits through the covers again for two.
Big appeal from Stokes for LBW from the final ball but they feel it is going down leg so no review comes.
04:36 AM GMT
OVER 72: NZ 261/7 (Henry 7 Phillips 11)
Henry uses his feet to Bashir and smacks him over his head for four. Bashir might not be too disappointed to see him take him on as it will create opportunity.
04:32 AM GMT
OVER 71: NZ 255/7 (Henry 2 Phillips 10)
That is really poor from Crawley. England had Henry on strike but a mis-field from Crawley at point allows Phillips to come onto strike.
Stokes and England think they have Phillips caught down leg and umpire Ahsan Raza’s finger goes up. Phillips immediately reviews, knowing he did not hit and he was right. No contact with the bat but with his hip. Good review and he remains.
Stokes bowls a wide tempter to finish the over and Phillips slashes away for a single to deep backward point to keep strike. That is poor from England to allow Phillips to get back on strike.
04:27 AM GMT
OVER 70: NZ 253/7 (Henry 1 Phillips 9)
Matt Henry is in at number nine. Just over an hour ago it seemed fanciful to think England could be batting by the end of the day but it could well happen with an hour left today.
04:24 AM GMT
Wicket
Smith c Root b Bashir 3 England’s fightback in this evening session continues. Debutant Smith turns a delivery from Bashir straight to Root, who takes the catch at short leg, placed slightly behind square. FOW 252/7
04:23 AM GMT
OVER 69: NZ 252/6 (Smith 3 Phillips 9)
Ben Stokes was warming up before the drinks break and now he is on. Just one leg bye comes from his first over back into the attack.
04:15 AM GMT
OVER 68: NZ 251/6 (Smith 3 Phillips 9)
Smith gets his first Test runs as he punches a delivery from Bashir through the covers for a couple. That two brings up the New Zealand 250.
Time for drinks.
This was McCullum on Bashir when we spoke to him in Queenstown at the weekend. “The thing about bowling (spin) in this country is you are not going to have five wickets, five wickets, spinning pitches etc … There will be times to take time out of the game, chip in with a wicket … but then there might be an innings where a chance presents itself with conditions – Hamilton for instance might be a surface where he comes into his own. We need to reduce expectations, not expect him to take loads of wickets but perform his role and chip in and when the time comes, he has the skills to play a match winning role.” Bashir has chipped in with two today.
04:11 AM GMT
OVER 67: NZ 247/6 (Smith 0 Phillips 8)
Nathan Smith is in at number eight on debut.
04:07 AM GMT
Wicket
Blundell c Atkinson b Bashir 17 Another one goes! It is a gift for England as Blundell cuts a filthy wide delivery from Bashir to Atkinson at point, who clings onto the catch. That is a terrible dismissal that Blundell will regret massively. FOW 246/6
This is turning into a good day for England. Bashir deserved that second wicket. He has handled the strong, gusting wind well, apart from dropping a few short to Williamson, and his bounce undid Blundell, cutting to gully. Nobody has gone after him, a surprise given how New Zealand hammered India’s spin not that long ago.
04:03 AM GMT
OVER 65: NZ 245/5 (Blundell 17 Phillips 6)
Blundell tucks into a slightly short ball from Atkinson and puts him away for four. It is a more conventional field now, not the one we saw when Carse was banging it in.
03:58 AM GMT
OVER 64: NZ 240/5 (Blundell 13 Phillips 6)
Bashir flights one outside off and Phillips obliges. He gets it only just over Bethell at cover and gets his first boundary of his innings.
03:56 AM GMT
OVER 63: NZ 236/5 (Blundell 13 Phillips 2)
Blundell flicks one away behind square on the legside for two.
That is a delightful shot as Blundell drives through cover point for four, who is now into double figures.
03:51 AM GMT
OVER 62: NZ 230/5 (Blundell 7 Phillips 2)
Two come from Bashir’s latest over.
03:50 AM GMT
OVER 61: NZ 228/5 (Blundell 6 Phillips 1)
Glenn Phillips joins Blundell at the crease and this is England’s moment to really put new Zealand under pressure. He is nearly gone for a duck as he blasts a delivery to Stokes’ left at mid-off but the England captain cannot hold on to a difficult effort diving to his left. It was hit very hard.
There have been some pretty ropey dismissals from set New Zealand batsmen today. Only Latham was really got out, you’d say. Otherwise they’ve just hit the ball at fielders in front of the wicket. Very England…
03:45 AM GMT
Wicket
Williamson c Crawley b Atkinson 93 Carse’s spell is over and it is Gus Atkinson who returns, with a more conventional field with a couple of slips. The bowling change pays off as Williamson is gone seven short of his century. It is short and wide but he only picks out Crawley at backward point. Williamson had been on a run of converting 90’s into a century dating back to 2018 but that streak of 13 is now over. FOW 227/5
Ian Smith points out on the radio over here that perhaps it was the diet of short balls to Williamson that led to the mistake – cutting a rare off side ball straight to gully. Huge wicket for England and after tea they have two for 36.
03:42 AM GMT
OVER 60: NZ 227/4 (Blundell 6 Williamson 93)
Spin is brought back into the attack as Shoaib Bashir returns. He has one wicket to his name today; that of Rachin Ravindra. Blundell is already looking to use his feet regularly to Bashir.
03:39 AM GMT
OVER 59: NZ 226/4 (Blundell 6 Williamson 92)
Carse is still charging in, banging it in halfway down, and it feels like something might happen. Both Blundell and Williamson are playing at most of these short balls; they are not just ducking underneath them.
Carse then bowls a fuller delivery to Blundell that catches him out. Blundell gets a bat on it but the ball ends up bouncing straight over the stumps. That was so close to crashing into the stumps.
The final ball should be stopped by Pope but it runs away for four leg byes.
03:33 AM GMT
OVER 58: NZ 217/4 (Blundell 4 Williamson 90)
Woakes bowls a beauty to Blundell that comes so close to taking the outside edge and hitting the top of off but does neither.
03:29 AM GMT
OVER 57: NZ 216/4 (Blundell 3 Williamson 90)
Carse strikes Williamson on the helmet and takes the return catch one-handed, but there was no bat involved thus no appeal. The team doctor is quickly on, as is mandatory when someone is struck on the helmet, but Williamson is absolutely fine.
03:23 AM GMT
OVER 56: NZ 215/4 (Blundell 2 Williamson 90)
Woakes strays onto Williamson’s pads and that is meat and drink for a player of Williamson’s calibre as it is flicked away for four down to fine-leg, despite the best efforts of a diving Bashir. Into the 90’s he goes.
03:20 AM GMT
OVER 55: NZ 211/4 (Blundell 2 Williamson 86)
Four singles come from Carse’s 11th over. Williamson is now just 14 runs shy of another Test century.
03:16 AM GMT
OVER 54: NZ 207/4 (Blundell 0 Williamson 84)
Four leg byes brings up the New Zealand 200.
Woakes bowls a beauty to Williamson that takes a genuine edge but for what feels like the millionth time today it falls short of Root at first slip. Surely the slip cordon have to come up a little. You would much rather the ball carry and be dropped than it fall short where you do not even have the chance of taking a catch. Williamson’s notorious soft hands have helped him today; if he went hard at the ball he would been gone a while ago.
Off the final ball of the over Williamson pounces on some width from Woakes and cuts it away for four.
03:12 AM GMT
OVER 53: NZ 199/4 (Blundell 0 Williamson 80)
Tom Blundell is in at number six. The field off Carse’s bowling is still set for short-pitch bowling to Blundell.
Different gravy when Carse is banging it in compared to the others and his heavy length brings the error from Mitchell just as England needed a breakthrough. Some poor bowling from Woakes today reopens the old debate about picking him overseas. So far, it hasn’t worked. Again.
03:10 AM GMT
Wicket
Mitchell c Brook b Carse 19 Brydon Carse will have the honours at the other end after tea. Ben Stokes has set the field for some chin music with Carse coming charging in. There is a fine-leg, short leg, deep backward square leg who is in 20 yards from the boundary, deep square leg who is in front of square, a midwicket and mid-on on the legside. On the offside there is a very fine third man and that is the man who takes the catch. Mitchell attempts to pull away but only succeeds in getting a top edge, which Brook takes at his third-man position. A welcome wicket for England, although Williamson is still at the crease. FOW 199/4
03:05 AM GMT
OVER 52: NZ 197/3 (Mitchell 18 Williamson 79)
England need to break this partnership early in this session or else it could be a long two and a half hours for Ben Stokes’ side.
Williamson tucks one away into the legside first ball after tea to get the first run of the final session of the day.
Four runs come from the first over after tea.
03:00 AM GMT
Evening session
Kane Williamson will resume on 77 not out, Daryl Mitchell 16. We will inevitably have to go into the extra half hour due to England’s slow over-rate and we probably will not see all the overs today. Chris Woakes will bowl the first over after tea.
02:57 AM GMT
Teatime verdict
A lucky wicket for Shoaib Bashir gave England heart but Kane Williamson is coasting, heading to tea on 77 with Daryl Mitchell looking methodical as usual. There is not much life in the placid pitch and England, on the stroke of tea, reverted to leg theory which will probably be the tactic in the final session.
Ravindra gifted his wicket, hitting a full toss from Shoaib to short midwicket, but after winning the toss and bowling England have nicked just three wickets and their fielding at times has been a bit ragged as well. Not a good couple of sessions for England and New Zealand look very comfy with time to cash in after tea.
02:52 AM GMT
The moment Kane Williamson went to 50
02:46 AM GMT
Perfect weather for the travelling England fans
02:41 AM GMT
Tea on day one
This may be the last over before tea. England have now gone to a short-ball field for the first time today.
This New Zealand pair deal with it well enough in that over and that will be tea on day one. New Zealand are 193/3 and have had the better of the first two sessions.
02:36 AM GMT
OVER 50: NZ 190/3 (Mitchell 15 Williamson 75)
Debutant Jacob Bethell is brought onto bowl for the first time. His first ball is swept away for four fine by Williamson but it was not a million miles away from Root at leg slip, although it would be one hell of a catch there from that type of shot.
His first over in Test cricket costs him five runs.
02:31 AM GMT
OVER 49: NZ 185/3 (Mitchell 15 Williamson 70)
One run comes from Stokes’ seventh over.
Just under 10 minutes to go until the tea break.
02:27 AM GMT
OVER 48: NZ 184/3 (Mitchell 15 Williamson 69)
Bashir has changed his angle, coming around the wicket to these two New Zealand right-handers. Just two come from that over. Bashir has figures of 1-32 from his ten overs.
02:24 AM GMT
OVER 47: NZ 182/3 (Mitchell 14 Williamson 68)
That is a wild delivery from Stokes. He banged it in short but it just balloons miles over Pope’s head and runs away for five wides.
Williamson gets onto the back foot and punches elegantly through the covers for three, which brings up the 50 partnership between this pair.
02:18 AM GMT
OVER 46: NZ 172/3 (Mitchell 12 Williamson 65)
That is really smart bowling from Bashir. He flights one outside off stump and gets Williamson to overbalance. Pope whips off the bails in a stumping attempt but Williamson managed to get his foot back in time before then actually falling over. We need to see more of that type of bowling from Bashir.
02:14 AM GMT
OVER 45: NZ 171/3 (Mitchell 11 Williamson 65)
That was a chance of a run-out. Mitchell pushes up to Woakes at mid-on and calls Williamson through. Williamson is slow to react but Woakes’ throw was not fantastic and he was slightly slow to react.
There is then a half appeal for LBW but England were never really convinced there.
02:11 AM GMT
OVER 44: NZ 170/3 (Mitchell 10 Williamson 65)
Williamson attempts a sweep shot off Bashir but gets a bottom edge, which runs towards fine-leg for two.
02:07 AM GMT
OVER 43: NZ 166/3 (Mitchell 9 Williamson 62)
Change of bowling as captain Stokes is back into the attack. Williamson just gets an inside edge on a ball that looked destined to crash into his pads.
Williamson dabs one into the offside and Stokes throws towards the non-striker’s end in an attempt to run him out but it ends up going for two overthrows.
Pretty placid out there and we are getting a glimpse of what awaits next winter when England have to fashion wickets on Aussie pitches with a 40 overs old Kookaburra. Williamson tucking in here with his usual efficiency and Mitchell can sit in and play his natural game. It is not exactly scintillating viewing.
02:02 AM GMT
OVER 42: NZ 163/3 (Mitchell 9 Williamson 59)
With Bashir’s wayward line and length, Joe Root, in his 150th Test, is getting hit a fair bit at short leg. Not really sure how Root has drawn the short straw to be under the helmet there.
01:58 AM GMT
OVER 41: NZ 161/3 (Mitchell 8 Williamson 58)
Atkinson has struggled with the footholes so far today, bowling six no-balls, and now he is starting to struggle with this strong breeze.
01:53 AM GMT
OVER 40: NZ 157/3 (Mitchell 7 Williamson 57)
Bashir is too short and wide and Williamson cuts him away through the covers for two. Still a slightly slow outfield so not all these shots are running to the boundary and there is plenty of running to do for the batsmen.
01:50 AM GMT
OVER 39: NZ 153/3 (Mitchell 6 Williamson 54)
Atkinson will continue after drinks and it is a maiden over.
01:42 AM GMT
OVER 38: NZ 153/3 (Mitchell 6 Williamson 54)
A single behind square on the legside from Mitchell brings up the New Zealand 150.
To Mitchell, Stokes has positioned Duckett on the boundary pretty much right behind Bashir.
A moment of confusion between Mitchell and Williamson gives England a sniff of a run-out but the pickup is not clean from Crawley.
Time for drinks.
01:38 AM GMT
OVER 37: NZ 149/3 (Mitchell 4 Williamson 52)
Mitchell leaves one that nips back in from Atkinson but he is very lucky that the bounce is quite true as if it had kept a little lower he was gone.
Just one run from the over.
01:34 AM GMT
OVER 36: NZ 148/3 (Mitchell 3 Williamson 52)
A much better over this time from Bashir to Williamson and it is a maiden over.
01:31 AM GMT
OVER 35: NZ 148/3 (Mitchell 3 Williamson 52)
Gus Atkinson replaces Carse. There is a half appeal for caught down the legside which is given not out but Ben Stokes decides this time it is right for a review. They missed one remember in the morning session. There is a clear gap between bat and ball and England lose their review. Perhaps they felt they had to review that after missing one in the first session.
01:25 AM GMT
OVER 34: NZ 146/3 (Mitchell 3 Williamson 51)
Williamson drives through the covers for two. Bashir then bowls an absolutely terrible drag-down delivery and Williamson does not miss out as he pulls it away for four. Next ball is a repeat as Williamson punishes a drag down and that boundary takes him to his fifty. It has not been a fluent knock but nonetheless he brings up his 50.
01:19 AM GMT
OVER 33: NZ 134/3 (Mitchell 2 Williamson 40)
Williamson pulls the last ball of Carse’s ninth over for two to move into the 40’s. With the wind picking up we will have a change of bails to get heavier sets on.
The Christmas trees and lights are up in Christchurch city centre and that Ravindra wicket was an early gift for England, who were just starting to worry that New Zealand were getting away from them. Carse is bowling a superb, aggressive post-lunch spell, causing the batsmen plenty of discomfit with a mix of short and full balls, and perhaps that brought the mistake out of Ravindra, Bashir benefitting. Crucial passage of play now.
01:14 AM GMT
OVER 32: NZ 131/3 (Mitchell 1 Williamson 38)
Daryl Mitchell is in at number five. The wind has definitely picked up in Christchurch. Mitchell gets off the mark with a single off his third ball.
01:11 AM GMT
Wicket
Ravindra c Crawley b Bashir 34 England needed that one! In just his second over Bashir makes the breakthrough. Ravindra uses his feet but only succeeds in hitting it on the full straight to Crawley at midwicket. FOW 130/3
01:09 AM GMT
OVER 31: NZ 130/2 (Ravindra 34 Williamson 38)
Carse strikes Williamson on the pads and Duckett takes a diving catch for a half appeal but there was no inside edge so not out.
Williamson then pulls through mid-on for four but it was not a million miles away from Atkinson. He follows that up with a drive through the same region for four more.
01:05 AM GMT
OVER 30: NZ 122/2 (Ravindra 34 Williamson 30)
Spin is on for the first time today as Shoaib Bashir is brought into the attack. Straight away he finds the inside edge of Ravindra’s bat but there is no short-leg in place.
His first over of the match costs just two runs.
01:01 AM GMT
OVER 29: NZ 120/2 (Ravindra 33 Williamson 29)
Williamson is just struggling a touch here.
Maiden over from Woakes.
12:57 AM GMT
OVER 28: NZ 120/2 (Ravindra 33 Williamson 29)
Another loose drive from Williamson but again he is lucky not to edge it through to Pope.
Carse then gets one to leap up and strike Williamson on the helmet.
Just one run from the over.
12:52 AM GMT
OVER 27: NZ 119/2 (Ravindra 33 Williamson 28)
Woakes is too wide and Ravindra punches it away through backward point for four. England have been prone today so far to bowl too many loose deliveries. They have bowled very good deliveries but followed them up with poor ones too often.
12:48 AM GMT
OVER 26: NZ 114/2 (Ravindra 29 Williamson 28)
Brydon Carse will start this session from the other end.
Williamson drives him away through the covers for two when Carse gets too full.
Off the final ball Carse comes so close to finding the outside edge but it just evades it. A loose shot from Williamson there.
12:43 AM GMT
OVER 25: NZ 112/2 (Ravindra 29 Williamson 26)
Ravindra gets the first runs of the afternoon as he punches one off the back foot through the covers for two. He follows that up with another two just behind point.
Woakes then gets one to go just past the outside edge but unfortunately for England no edge taken.
Ravindra finishes the over with a flick off his legs through wide mid-on for four, which brings up the 50 partnership between this pair. Not the start to the session England would have wanted.
12:39 AM GMT
Afternoon session
The players are back out into the Christchurch sunshine and we are ready to get back going again. Chris Woakes will bowl the first over after lunch.
12:37 AM GMT
Lunchtime verdict
New Zealand’s morning, England bowling too short and giving too many easy scoring opportunities to batsmen looking to play positively. Both sides would have bowled first, a potential misread of a grassy pitch that has not really shown much seam movement.
England have made mistakes, they did not hear a nick off Ravindra on 20 in the over before lunch that would have been given on snicko had they appealed. An edge off Williamson on nine fell short of the slips, perhaps standing back a little too far.
Tom Latham’s 47 off 54 gave New Zealand lift off, and Ravindra has continued his fine form of the year, looking to score quickly, while Williamson has settled on his return for injury and latched on to anything short of a length.
Two wickets, one each for Atkinson and Carse, keep England tugging on New Zealand’s coat tails. Carse was the pick, causing problems with his pace and bounce, and snicking off Latham, while Atkinson took a sharp caught and bowled off Conway in the second over. Woakes was disappointing with the new ball, failing to make batsmen play enough and Stokes has mixed up corkers with some poor balls. New Zealand going at 4.3 an over, scoring will only become easier as the pitch flattens on a warm, sunny day.
12:32 AM GMT
TNT crew on England’s squad selection
💬 “They shouldn’t be in this situation. They shouldn’t have taken three spinners.”
Sir Alastair Cook and Steve Finn give a frank assessment of the England selection and Jacob Bethell batting at three 👀
📺 Watch #NZvENG LIVE on TNT Sports and discovery+ pic.twitter.com/zSX0rLHXhZ
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) November 28, 2024
12:27 AM GMT
Get your fix
12:20 AM GMT
The two wickets from the morning session
12:11 AM GMT
Beach cricket, Brian Lara and Barbados shaped England’s new prodigy Jacob Bethell
Nestled in the corner of a cricket pitch at Harrison College, one of Barbados’s most illustrious schools, lies a black scoreboard. This remains one of Jacob Bethell’s legacies at his alma mater.
One day while Jacob was at the school, his father Graham asked the coach whether he wanted to get a scoreboard. The next day, Graham put up the scoreboard himself.
Harrison is widely recognised as the most academic of the island’s 21 state secondary schools, and has educated five out of Barbados’s eight prime ministers since independence. Bethell started at Harrison College in 2015, aged 11, after getting almost full marks in his common entrance examination.
For more from our deputy cricket correspondent Tim Wigmore on Jacob Bethell, click here.
12:01 AM GMT
Lunch on day one
Can England make a breakthrough before the lunch interval? Stokes bowls a beauty to Ravindra that just misses the outside edge. We have just seen a the UltraEdge and he did get an edge on it. Should have been gone.
He does find the outside edge this time but it falls short of Duckett at third slip. That is now at least four that have come up short of the slips and you have to think they will have to come up.
That is the final over of the morning session and they are 104/2. You would have to say the hosts have had the better of that first session, having been put into bat.
One more reason to have a regular keeper: he will be more likely to spot the nicks than a part timer. Rachin Ravindra survives nicking Ben Stokes on 20 as Ollie Pope doesn’t spot it.
11:55 PM GMT
OVER 23: NZ 103/2 (Ravindra 20 Williamson 26)
Woakes is back into the attack. Three come from the over as we close in on the lunch break.
11:50 PM GMT
OVER 22: NZ 100/2 (Ravindra 17 Williamson 26)
Stokes is really not happy with his landing spot as he falls to the ground. But he does get one to go just past the outside edge of Williamson’s bat.
Stokes though then gets too full and wide and Williamson drives him through the covers for four. Stokes drags it too short and Williamson pulls him away for four more to bring up the New Zealand 100. Stokes is furious with the crease and is not comfortable at all with where he is landing.
11:45 PM GMT
OVER 21: NZ 90/2 (Ravindra 16 Williamson 18)
Atkinson finds the outside edge of Ravindra’s bat but it falls agonisingly short of Root at first slip. Are the slip cordon too deep?
Ravindra then follows that up with an emphatic pull shot for four in front of square. Next ball he drives down through mid-off for three.
11:41 PM GMT
OVER 20: NZ 83/2 (Ravindra 9 Williamson 18)
A good spell comes to an end for Carse and captain Stokes decides now is the time to bring himself on to bowl. He starts with a no-ball.
Ravindra punches away through the covers for a couple.
Williamson punishes Stokes being too short and emphatically pulls him away four. Stokes, like all the England bowlers in this morning session, is unhappy with the foot marks.
11:35 PM GMT
OVER 19: NZ 74/2 (Ravindra 6 Williamson 13)
England are just starting to exert more control here as they restrict the run-rate.
11:30 PM GMT
OVER 18: NZ 72/2 (Ravindra 5 Williamson 12)
Carse is bowling well here and Williamson is struggling against him here.
11:25 PM GMT
OVER 17: NZ 71/2 (Ravindra 5 Williamson 12)
Atkinson gets one to go across Ravindra but it goes just past the outside edge.
England then appeal later in the over for caught behind as Ravindra attempted a pull shot but Ben Stokes does not look convinced. Good decision not to review as there was no edge.
Maiden over.
11:21 PM GMT
OVER 16: NZ 71/2 (Ravindra 5 Williamson 12)
Ravindra drives well through the covers for three. New Zealand are continuing to keep the scoreboard ticking over this morning, with the run-rate above four-an-over this morning.
11:16 PM GMT
OVER 15: NZ 68/2 (Ravindra 2 Williamson 12)
Rachin Ravindra joins Williamson out in the middle. Not only do we have a new batsman, we have a change in the bowling as Atkinson returns to replace Woakes.
Atkinson is too full and Williamson leans on a drive through mid-off which comes up just short of the boundary so New Zealand come through for three.
11:10 PM GMT
Wicket
Latham c Pope b Carse 47 Crucial breakthrough for England. Carse was impressive in Pakistan and he has looked dangerous so far here. Not long ago he got one to go across Latham and did not find the edge but this time he does, taking the outside edge and Pope takes the catch behind the stumps. Latham was closing in on a half century but Carse gets him. FOW 62/2
11:03 PM GMT
OVER 13: NZ 58/1 (Latham 44 Williamson 7)
Woakes is too full and straight and Williamson tucks him away through the legside for three. That is 1,000 Test runs against England for Williamson.
Latham flicks one away to fine-leg for another, which brings up the 50 partnership between this pair.
Time for drinks. England did make an early breakthrough but I think having lost the toss New Zealand will be pretty happy with their first hour.
10:58 PM GMT
OVER 12: NZ 50/1 (Latham 39 Williamson 4)
Carse bowls a beauty across Latham that just evades the outside edge. Latham then tries to pull it away but it goes in front of square, which was not where he was aiming. He does get two though.
Carse then finds the inside edge of Latham’s bat but somehow it does not go crashing into the stumps. Latham living slightly dangerously here.
Off the final ball Williamson pulls it in front of square for three to bring up the New Zealand 50.
10:53 PM GMT
OVER 11: NZ 43/1 (Latham 36 Williamson 1)
Maiden over from Woakes, who is still yet to be rewarded with a wicket in his first six overs despite finding the edge of the bat on a few occasions.
10:48 PM GMT
OVER 10: NZ 43/1 (Latham 36 Williamson 1)
As I thought would be the case, there is a change in the bowling as Brydon Carse is brought on. He was very impressive in his first two Test matches recently in Pakistan.
He bowls a bouncer to Williamson that flies over the batsman’s head and is signalled wide.
Off his 14th Williamson finally gets off the mark with a single into the covers. It did take Latham a while to get off the mark and look how he is going now.
Carse finds the outside edge of Latham’s bat and it flies through the vacant gully region for a streaky four. Stokes is positioned at backward point and it went through the gap to his right.
10:43 PM GMT
OVER 9: NZ 37/1 (Latham 32 Williamson 0)
Woakes tempts Latham into a drive outside off stump but it goes just past the edge. Latham a tad lucky there. Good movement from Woakes there and he nearly makes the breakthrough.
Latham then follows that false shot up with a delightful drive through mid-off for four.
10:40 PM GMT
OVER 8: NZ 33/1 (Latham 28 Williamson 0)
Atkinson offers width to Latham and he tucks into it as he drives through backward point for another boundary. Too loose that from Atkinson.
Latham cuts away when offered more width and comes back for three. England need to be taking advantage of winning the toss and bowing first but they are slightly loose at the moment. Woakes has been probing but, after taking the early wicket of Conway, Atkinson has not found great rhythm. A change of bowling cannot be too far away.
Hagley Oval is a glorious sight on a lovely sunny day with a capacity 8,000 crowd filling the grassy banks that surround the playing arena and around 40 percent of tickets were bought by overseas supporters, so plenty of England fans are here. The first time I came to Christchurch in 2002 the Test ground was Jade Stadium, aka Lancaster Park, and a famous match unfolded with Nathan Astle’s record breaking double overshadowing 200 by Graham Thorpe. Lancaster Park, a rugby stadium with a long history, was badly damaged by the 2011 earthquake and was abandoned for many years. It has now been demolished. And a community park laid out on the site with cricket, football and rugby pitches.
10:34 PM GMT
OVER 7: NZ 25/1 (Latham 21 Williamson 0)
Woakes finds the outside edge of Williamson’s bat but the latter’s soft hands save him as it falls just short of Duckett at third slip. Hard hands and he would have been gone. It has been a very start for the former New Zealand captain.
Woakes finds the outside edge again but once more it comes up short of Crawley this time at second slip. Those soft hands saving him.
Feels like England have stumbled across the right keeper in Ollie Robinson. It was a fair call with Jamie Smith in the summer, and he has undoubtedly a very high ceiling as a Test cricketer. But when Smith pulled out of this tour, Robinson should have been the first choice, not taking another selection punt on Cox.
10:29 PM GMT
OVER 6: NZ 25/1 (Latham 21 Williamson 0)
Beautiful shot from Latham. He just leans on a drive through mid-off, which runs away for four.
Later in the over Latham digs out a dangerous full ball from Atkinson and gets two through mid-on. Latham is moving along nicely here.
10:25 PM GMT
OVER 5: NZ 19/1 (Latham 15 Williamson 0)
That is a beautiful shot from Latham through mid-on but it only brings him two. The outfield looks a little on the slow side.
Woakes gets one to nip back into Latham and it comes very close to clipping the top of off stump with Latham having left it alone. There are two types of leaves; good ones and bad ones. This was the former, just!
Woakes then gets too straight and Latham flicks it away with ease down to fine-leg for four; the first boundary of the series.
That is terrible from England and Bashir in particular. Latham dabs a single into the legside and Bashir’s throw is terrible, running away for four overthrows. So sloppy that from England. The most annoyed man will be Woakes as those will go down against his figures.
Williamson then nibbles at one well outside his off stump and that was not far away from the edge of his bat. Woakes follows that up next ball with another delivery that just evades the outside edge.
All the focus is on the batting of the debutant Jacob Bethell but he is also a very presentable left-arm red-ball spinner, who does something with the ball within the context of being very steady. Given Ben Stokes for a captain he might get an over before lunch…?
10:20 PM GMT
OVER 4: NZ 8/1 (Latham 4 Williamson 0)
Latham punches down the ground through mid-on for a couple.
Williamson faces up to his first ball off the final ball of Atkinson’s second over and is struck on the pads but no appeals. Not out.
Very strange seeing Zak Crawley at short leg, but Ollie Pope is keeping. Crawley is a very good slip fielder but hasn’t fielded there since he broke his finger in July. It must have been a nasty break to keep him out of the cordon for this long.
10:16 PM GMT
OVER 3: NZ 5/1 (Latham 1 Williamson 0)
Former captain Kane Williamson, who missed the 3-0 series win in India due to injury, is in at number three. Having won the toss, England know this is their chance to get early wickets and put big pressure on the home side.
A probing over from Woakes but Latham finally gets off the mark off his 12th ball with a single through point.
10:11 PM GMT
Wicket
Conway c&b Atkinson 2 Two no-balls from the Atkinson’s first over of the series but he will not care now. Conway’s false drive back down the ground is caught brilliantly by Atkinson during his follow-through. Superb, athletic fielding and the extra deliveries from the no-balls give Atkinson the chance of that wicket. FOW 4/1
Terrific start to his tour by Gus Atkinson, smart catch to his left in his follow through. England’s development could do with him or Brydon Carse really bowling them to victory on an overseas pitch. This is a great chance, bowling first on a very grassy surface with lots of carry and seam movement. Sunny weather is forecast over the next couple of days, around 27C, which will be great for batting so this is an important session for England.
10:04 PM GMT
OVER 1: NZ 0/0 (Latham 0 Conway 0)
Latham gets onto his tippy toes and guides the first ball along the ground to point. The Barmy Army’s first rendition of “Jerusalem” of the series is belted out in the Christchurch sun.
There will be plenty of attention on Pope with the gloves on. His place in this side is under threat and now he has the gloves for this Test match. As Nick Hoult has revealed, Durham’s Ollie Robinson is due to arrive on Saturday and will be in line for a Test debut in the second game of the series.
Woakes nearly traps Latham LBW with the final ball of the first over but Latham just gets an inside edge on it.
A maiden to start proceedings in this series.
10:00 PM GMT
Here we go
England’s Test series in New Zealand is about to begin. England have made their way out with New Zealand’s opening pair Tom Latham and Devon Conway following them. This is sure to be a testing first hour and session. Having won the toss, England will know they need to make early inroads. Chris Woakes has the new ball in hand and we are ready to go. We have news from the England camp as play is beginning…
Ollie Robinson is due to arrive on Saturday, and will be in line for a Test debut in Wellington next week. Robinson was unlucky to miss out to Jamie Smith in the summer and it had felt as if he had missed the boat with Jamie Rew with the Lions in South Africa at the moment. However, Jordan Cox’s injury and the fact England feel Rew is not ready yet, has given him an unexpected chance. Unless, of course, Bethell looks a natural at no 3 and they stick with Pope as keeper for the series. Lots of sub-plots in this Test.
Congratulations Ollie and welcome to the squad 🤝
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 27, 2024
09:57 PM GMT
Reminder of the team news
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wk), Ben Stokes (captain), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
Jealous of my colleague Nick being at Hagley Oval, a great ground in a great city. I have fond memories of the 2015 World Cup there, and watching a streaker – a proper streaker – trying to escape the clutches of some burly security guards by escaping over a rather sharply-pronged fence. He did get away, but it was a close run thing…
09:54 PM GMT
Anthem time
Both sides are on the outfield and it is time for the national anthems. “God Save The King” followed by “God Defend New Zealand”.
09:49 PM GMT
New Zealand captain Tom Latham speaking at the toss
“We were going to have a bowl first. Things can become easier after the first session. It is going to be a hot day, hopefully we can get past that and put pressure on later on.
“The public’s got right behind us, which we appreciate. A series against England is perfect timing. It is a great time for New Zealand cricket at the moment, hopefully we can continue that momentum.
“Any time someone makes their debut is a special time. Nathan [Smith] has performed well for Wellington for a number of years and he fits our bowling nicely. We will be right behind him.”
09:46 PM GMT
The thoughts of Ben Stokes at the toss
“The wicket generally gets better and better as cricket is played on it. There is a nice covering of grass on it so we will get that new ball and try and get as much out of it as we can. Both teams try to take the game on, we are always looking to push the game forward and when you have got two teams in that same mindset, you are always going to get a good game. It is great that it is a three-game series this time round.”
On Crowe-Thorpe Trophy:
“It is an amazing thing to be playing for in this series. Two legends of the game, both for New Zealand and England cricket but also the game around the world. To be able to commemorate those two is very special.”
On Jacob Bethell:
“We had a bit of unfortunate stuff happen to Jordan Cox. It’s never nice to see a young, talented lad get injured but it gives another a chance. Bethell has performed well for England in the last four or five months in the white-ball game so looking forward to him getting going this week.”
09:44 PM GMT
Bethell handed his cap
Chris Woakes is given the honour of giving a speech and presenting his Warwickshire teammate Jacob Bethell with his cap on Test debut. What a week it has been for Bethell; making your Test debut and being signed by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for £250,000 in the IPL!
09:36 PM GMT
Teams
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wk), Ben Stokes (captain), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
09:34 PM GMT
England win the toss
It goes the way of Ben Stokes and he decides that his side will bowl first. More often than not teams winning the toss at Hagley Oval bowl first and have had good success doing so.
Tom Latham admits that he would have bowled first as well had he won the toss.
England win the toss and bowl in Christchurch which is what they planned for in the Queenstown warm up last week. There they arranged to bowl first on a green top to reflect conditions on Test pitches in New Zealand which are lively on day one and then generally flatten out. Overnight they had the groundsman roll the pitch flat so when they bowled on day two, it was tougher for the bowlers and the Prime Minister’s XI made 313-5 dec.
09:29 PM GMT
Toss incoming
Both sides have actually named their XI’s in advance but who will win the toss?
09:25 PM GMT
Get your fix
09:22 PM GMT
‘New Zealand should prepare spinning pitches for England, but they will not be brave enough’
England are poor against the spinning ball. They were dreadful against it in India and were mesmerised by it recently on dry, worn surfaces in Pakistan.
Compare this to New Zealand. They just shocked the cricket world, and probably themselves, by beating India 3-0 in their own backyard by outbowling them with spin.
So, the question for New Zealand now is, do they dare prepare spinning pitches to beat England in their three-match Test series?
Sir Geoffrey Boycott has had his say on the pitches New Zealand should be preparing.
09:18 PM GMT
‘Stokes says sorry for making England team ‘tread on eggshells’
Ben Stokes started this tour by apologising to his players for being grumpy and leaving them “treading on eggshells” around him in Pakistan.
Stokes “cleared the air” last week in Queenstown before a series against New Zealand that is crucial for an England side looking to restore faith in the Bazball project.
Stokes said he “ruined” himself and became wrapped up in trying to recover from a hamstring injury. He eventually missed the first Test when England broke records and won convincingly, only to return and captain them to two defeats.
Nick Hoult has the full story from Christchurch.
09:12 PM GMT
In case you missed it
England’s plans for the New Zealand Test series were thrown into disarray when wicketkeeper Jordan Cox was ruled out of the tour with a fractured right thumb.
Cox was to make his debut in Christchurch on Thursday but was hit while batting in the nets before play on the second day of England’s warm-up match in Queenstown.
For more on Cox’s injury from Nick Hoult, click here.
09:08 PM GMT
England’s Test tour of New Zealand
First Test: November 28 – December 2 (Christchurch)
Second Test: December 6-10 (Wellington)
Third Test: December 14-18 (Hamilton)
09:03 PM GMT
England kick off their tour of New Zealand
Christchurch is the scene as England kick off their Test series in New Zealand. Ben Stokes’ side are aiming to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 defeat in Pakistan.
England have made a bold call in handing a Test debut to Jacob Bethell, who will bat at number three. Bethell, who has been bought this week by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for £250,000 in the IPL auction, has never batted higher than number four for Warwickshire (twice) and not scored a century in any form of professional cricket. He averages just 25 in the first-class game but has impressed in recent months for the England white-ball teams. Stokes, who will captain his side in the city of his birth, has backed their call to select Bethell.
“We’re not picking people just to wind people up. We do know what we’re doing. There is a process to it, even if it does raise a few eyebrows,” said Stokes. “You’ve got to be true to yourself when you get given the opportunity to be able to make decisions. I’m never going to lead or do things based on the way that somebody else would do it, because then I’m not being true to myself. And for 95 percent of the time, I have done that, I’ve committed to that. I’ve not changed for anybody else’s opinion or criticism. We’ve always done what we feel is right for the team. It’s gone in our favour quite a lot. So I think we do know what we’re doing.”
Jordan Cox, who was set to make his Test debut today in place of Jamie Smith who is on paternity leave, fractured his right thumb and has been ruled out of the series. Ollie Pope will take the gloves in this first Test match but Durham’s Ollie Robinson is set to join up with the squad.
England’s opponents are coming off the back of a fantastic 3-0 series whitewash over India. New Zealand are boosted by the return Kane Williamson, who missed the series win in India due to injury. England have not won a series in New Zealand in 2008, with the previous series in 2022/23 ending up drawn 1-1 after New Zealand claimed a dramatic one-run victory in the second of two Test matches.
Play gets under way at 10pm UK time.
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