Stokes punishes Black Caps
On a day that got away for New Zealand, a familiar nemesis returned to punish them and potentially bat England into an unbeatable position in the first cricket test.
Remember Ben Stokes? The wonder cricketer who made Kiwis weep in the Cricket World Cup final was at it once more against his homeland yesterday, punishing a crucial miss and claiming day one honours for England. Just.
At stumps on a sun-drenched first day at Mt Maunganui’s Bay Oval, Stokes was 67 not out and England 241-4, not completely dominant but potentially heading that way.
New Zealand were pretty good all round on an attritional first day and sluggish surface, and would have shared the decision had Ross Taylor held a searing chance off Stokes on 63. Five overs before stumps, Stokes slashed at Trent Boult and Taylor got both hands to it at slip but it raced away for a fourth successive boundary.
Joe Denly top scored with 74 while Colin de Grandhomme had the most success for the Black Caps with 2-28 off 19 disciplined overs. England unveiled their new test formula, slow and steady wins the race, and grind your rivals into the dirt as they scored at just 2.67 per over.
For the first half of a stunning Bay of Plenty spring day, the hosts couldn’t take a trick.
Opener Rory Burns looked like he’d received a free pass as the first batsman to take guard in a test at Bay Oval. He got a royal let-off on 10 when New Zealand blundered on the decision review system when Hot Spot replays showed he’d edged Boult.
It wasn’t obvious but wicketkeeper BJ Watling, with the best seat in the house, looked convinced before deciding he wasn’t as the clock ticked down. Boult and the slips cordon didn’t pursue it with captain Kane Williamson at mid-off, either, as New Zealand’s reputation for DRS indecision continued.
Burns was clanged on the helmet by Neil Wagner, then edged Tim Southee between slips Taylor
and Tom Latham on 37. It looked Taylor’s catch but he was unmoved.
When Boult and Williamson challenged a Burns lbw on 44, and replays showed it hitting the stumps but umpire’s call, New Zealand must have wondered what next.
De Grandhomme was their man, surprisingly on a docile surface. He got it to swing, nicking
R Burns c Watling b de Grandhomme .. 52 D Sibley c Taylor b de Grandhomme .... 22 J Denly c Watling b Southee ...................... 74 J Root c Southee b Wagner ........................... 2 B Stokes not out ............................................... 67 O Pope not out ................................................... 18 Extras (1b, 4lb, 1nb) ............................................ 6 Total (for 4 wkts, 90 overs) ...................... 241 Fall: 52 (Sibley), 113 (Burns), 120 (Root),
203 (Denly).
Bowling: T Boult 22-6-61-0, T Southee
21-6-46-1, C de Grandhomme 19-5-28-2 (1nb), N Wagner 23-4-77-1, M Santner
5-0-24-0.
off debutant Dom Sibley (22) to Taylor then finally snaring Burns (52 in 196 minutes) when he wafted at one moving away.
Root, having slipped down to No 4 and a test average of 29 this year, never looked comfortable and fended at one, angling across and Southee held the catch at second slip.
It was honours even and the Black Caps had an opening, but that man Stokes makes life tough. He and Denly added 83 – they got to 80 overs and the second new ball, and looked set to see it through to stumps. But Southee enjoyed the new cherry with a packed cordon and Denly edged to Watling who dived brilliantly in front of Taylor with one glove. His knock of 74 was his fifth test half-century but he still awaits his first ton.
No matter for England, as Stokes took over and, again, holds the fate of this match in his batting gloves.