‘WE’LL KEEP THROWING PUNCHES’

MATT POTTS insisted England would keep “throwing punches” after they took Ben Stokes on a wild rollercoaster ride on his first day as Test captain.

On a breathless opening day at the first LV= Test at Lord’s, Potts’ 4-13 to help skittle New Zealand for 132 was undone by a familiar batting collapse.

England closed on 116-7, still 16 in arrears after losing seven wickets for 41 in 18.5 overs, and the Durham pace bowler revealed new skipper Stokes sent him off in mid-over – to prevent his cramp turning into a more serious injury.

Potts said: “We’ve had an eventful day, but I think we’re going to throw our punches. Personally, I think it’s very entertaining, it’s what we all want to see.

“We want to exchange blows – if they throw us two, we’ll throw them four, so we’ll just see what happens.”

Potts, 23, took the key wicket of Black Caps captain Kane Williamson (inset) with only his fifth delivery, and he said: “A Test debut at the home of cricket, in the pinnacle format of cricket, and to get the captain out fifth ball, I can’t put into words really how that feels.

“I know it probably meant an awful lot to me, and an awful lot to my family, too.”

Potts was within sight of a five-wicket haul, and a place on the Lord’s dressing- room honours box, when Stokes ordered him off.

He said: “We had them nine down and the calves were barking at me a little bit.

An eight-over spell, a bit of soft ground and me probably throwing 110, 115 percent into it without realising... a bit of nerves probably takes its toll on the body.”