6 hours Ago
Shoaib Bashir keeps England in touch against New Zealand with four wickets - after Kane Williamson shows his class in Christchurch Williamson scored an impressive 93 to help New Zealand end day one on 319-8 Bashir kept chipping in for England after captain Ben Stokes had won the toss Stokes was left to rue dropping Glenn Phillips, who finished the day on 41 not out By LAWRENCE BOOTH Published: 06:26 GMT, 28 November 2024 | Updated: 06:31 GMT, 28 November 2024 e-mail View comments Four wickets for Shoaib Bashir allowed England to stay in touch with New Zealand on a fluctuating opening day of this three-Test series. After being put in on a sweltering day in Christchurch, the New Zealanders closed on 319 for eight, a total that centred on a typically classy 93 from the returning Kane Williamson and a punchy late 41 not out from Glenn Phillips. And it left England to rue dropping the dangerous Phillips before he had scored, Ben Stokes putting down a tough chance diving to his left at mid-off from the bowling of Gus Atkinson.
It was just one of several moments of scrappiness from the tourists in front of packed house of around 8,000 – divided equally, it seemed, between locals and visitors. With the sun out, Hagley Oval was a picture. But England were less pristine, conceding 35 extras, including 11 in no-balls – seven by Atkinson alone – and 10 in wides, while no one spotted that Rachin Ravindra had edged Stokes to Ollie Pope in the last over before lunch.
Two sets of overthrows added to the sense that they were not quite on their game. It was fortunate, then, that Bashir kept chipping in on a surface green enough to persuade Stokes to make first use after winning the toss. Not all his wickets were works of art: Ravindra shovelled a full-toss to midwicket, while Matt Henry was caught at long-on.
Four wickets from Shoaib Bashir, left, helped keep Ben Stokes' England side in touch on day one A typically classy 93 from Kane Williamson helped New Zealand finish the day on 319 for eight Glenn Phillips produced a punchy 41 not out to leave Stokes ruing a drop before he had scored But four wickets for a 21-year-old off-spinner on a first-day pitch expected to help the seamers before settling down felt like a bonus. For much of the day, it had looked as if Williamson would mark his return from the groin injury that ruled him out of New Zealand’s historic win in India with another Test hundred – and make England pay for their decision to bowl. As Williamson and Daryl Mitchell took the hosts to 199 for three shortly after tea, England were in danger of running out of ideas, with Brydon Carse banging the ball in to a well-spread field – a familiar tactic in times of need.
Gallingly for New Zealand, the trap worked. From the 10th delivery of the final session, Mitchell – on 19 – took on a short one and succeeded only in top-edging to Harry Brook at a third man positioned so fine he was almost long stop. With Williamson still there, New Zealand had control.
But when Atkinson found extra bounce outside off stump, Williamson – tempted by the width – could not keep his cut shot down, allowing Zak Crawley to complete the catch at gully. If that merely confirmed his greatness in home conditions, where he averages 67, his misjudgment made it 227 for five, and opened the door for England. Four balls later, Stokes dropped Phillips, though England did not have to wait long for their next breakthroughs.
First Tom Blundell failed to get over a cut off Bashir, and was caught by Atkinson at backward point for 17. Then the debutant Nathan Smith turned England’s off-spinner straight to Joe Root at a squarish leg slip, and departed for three: 252 for seven. Phillips and Matt Henry rallied, putting on 46 before Bashir picked up his fourth, Henry launching him high to Duckett at long-on for 18.
But Tim Southee stayed with Phillips until stumps, on a day when no one could quite claim the bragging-rights. Gus Atkinson had struck in the second over by catching Devon Conway off his own bowling Brydon Carse took the wicket of Daryl Mitchell when England looked to be running out of ideas Williamson gathered runs with ominous ease but ultimately fell seven shy of a century Bashir's four wickets on a first day pitch expected to help the seamers felt like a bonus Earlier, Atkinson had struck in the second over of the series, holding a superb return catch low to his left after Devon Conway miscued a drive. But England’s seamers struggled to find their length, and Tom Latham repeatedly punched them down the ground during an aggressive 47 that ended when Carse had him caught behind by Pope – a leading edge as he aimed across a full-length delivery.
Had England asked for a review in the last over before lunch, Ultra-Edge would have told them that Ravindra – 20 at the time – had got a thin edge on a defensive push at Stokes. The damage did not prove too great. With Ravindra on 34, and the total 130, Bashir somehow persuaded him to hit a low full-toss straight to Crawley at midwicket – a tame end to an elegant innings.
All the while, Williamson was gathering runs with ominous ease, playing the ball characteristically late and happy to bide his time until offered anything loose. On days such as this, there is an inevitability to his batting, which made his dismissal – seven shy of what would have been a 33rd Test century. His departure energised England as much as it deflated New Zealand – only for Phillips to hold firm as wickets fell around him.
The average first-innings score in 13 previous Tests at Hagley Oval is 288. If New Zealand can extend their total to 350 or beyond, they will be very much in the game. Ben Stokes New Zealand England Cricket Share or comment on this article: Shoaib Bashir keeps England in touch against New Zealand with four wickets - after Kane Williamson shows his class in Christchurch e-mail Add comment.
