New Zealand v England: First Test poised after Tom Blundell hundred

Tom Blundell has present deed 4 centuries successful his archetypal 23 Tests

England's archetypal Test against New Zealand is fascinatingly poised aft Tom Blundell's superb period kept the hosts afloat connected time 2 successful Mount Maunganui.

But wicketkeeper Blundell battled to his 4th Test period to guarantee that England's first-innings pb was lone 19 contempt Ollie Robinson bowling superbly to assertion 4-82 successful New Zealand's 306 each out.

Even though England's 2nd innings started nether lights, openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley added 50 successful conscionable 52 balls.

Duckett fell for 25 and Crawley 28, the second signalling the accomplishment of Stuart Broad arsenic England's 'nighthawk' for the archetypal time.

Comically, Broad got distant with skying Scott Kuggeleijn from his 2nd shot - Kuggeleijn and wicketkeeper Blundell watched arsenic the shot dropped betwixt them - leaving England 79-2, starring by 98.

Day-night conditions adhd intrigue to fascinating Test

The day-night conditions and pinkish shot were criticised by Robinson and James Anderson successful the run-up to this Test, yet determination is nary uncertainty the situation of batting successful the twilight is adding other intrigue to a superb contest.

New Zealand should person been capable to bat good aboriginal successful the time successful lukewarm sunshine connected a bully pitch, but alternatively came adjacent to imploding.

Blundell, though, was capable to resistance 124 runs retired of the past 3 wickets. He added 53 with some debutants Kuggeleijn and Blair Tickner - past antheral Tickner's publication to the 10th-wicket basal was conscionable three.

With the shortage negligible, New Zealand arguably had the precocious hand, particularly with England having to commencement their 2nd innings conscionable arsenic acheronian was falling.

England did not instrumentality a backward step, staying existent to their attacking instincts against immoderate below-par New Zealand new-ball bowling.

It is the tourists who should person the vantage successful the daytime connected Saturday, eyeing the accidental to person New Zealand statesman a tally pursuit nether lights connected the 3rd evening.

Brilliant Blundell holds New Zealand together

Blundell has signifier against England - helium was prolific past summertime contempt New Zealand going down to a 3-0 bid decision successful the UK - and helium has kept his squad successful this Test.

While galore of his team-mates talented their wicket distant successful blameless conditions, Blundell was compact, diligent and determined.

He overturned being fixed caught down disconnected Anderson connected 74 and had moved to 82 by the clip helium was joined by past antheral Tickner.

Blundell attacked the rotation of Jack Leach, taking 14 disconnected an over, past watched Tickner support retired Robinson, with each antiaircraft changeable cheered from the spectators connected the writer banks.

After Blundell swept Leach to spell to 3 figures, helium changed gear. His archetypal 100 runs came from 143 balls, his adjacent 38 disconnected 37.

He was dropped by flying wicketkeeper Ben Foakes disconnected Ben Stokes connected 117 and a miscue evaded a flailing Broad astatine mid-on disconnected Anderson erstwhile Blundell had 130.

England besides failed to reappraisal erstwhile Tickner edged Broad down earlier Blundell heaved a caught-and-bowled to Anderson.

England combat to clasp disconnected Black Caps

Ollie Robinson trapped Daryl Mitchell lbw for a duck with a good transportation that jagged backmost in

Bowling was ever going to beryllium harder for England successful the sunny daytime conditions than erstwhile they reduced New Zealand to 37-3 the erstwhile evening.

While Anderson and Broad took a wicket apiece connected Friday to spell to 1,001 successful Tests they person played together, equalling the grounds of Australia greats Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, Robinson was the pick.

Twice helium produced nip-backers - 1 to person Daryl Mitchell lbw offering nary changeable and different to vessel Kuggeleijn, portion a debased afloat flip was good caught by Duckett astatine agelong limb to relationship for Tim Southee.

Crawley had a torrid clip connected the archetypal morning, efficaciously retired 3 times successful 14 balls, but looked much comfy here, portion Duckett picked up wherever helium near disconnected successful his first-innings 84.

Both men yet offered edges, Duckett poked Tickner to archetypal gaffe and Crawley bottom-edged a propulsion disconnected Kuggeleijn done to Blundell.

The entranceway of Broad was axenic theatre. He charged his archetypal shot and got distant with the missed accidental disconnected his second, In the adjacent implicit helium was deed connected the caput by Southee and smeared a boundary.

The amusement was perfectly successful keeping with this compelling Test and England's fearless style.