ENG vs NZ 2nd Test: Mitchell, Blundell guide Kiwis to 318/4 at stumps on day one
New Zealand ended the first day of the second Test vs England at Trent Bridge in joyous form for the two teams, ending the day on 318/4. All the batsmen in the visitors started well but the day was saved by Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell, whose fifties ensured that the Black Caps did not derail after England captain Ben Stokes batted first. Playing without their captain Kane Williamson, New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Will Young put on 84 runs for the first wicket before Stokes broke the stands as he removed the right-hander for 47 runs. Soon Latham also fell to James Anderson for 26 runs. Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway then stitched a 77-run partnership for the third wicket to stabilize the innings after two consecutive wickets. But his wickets also fell fast. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell then came together and batted till the stumps, scoring individual fifties in the process.
England’s fielders helped them squander a lot of chances in a day of entertaining cricket. Former England captain Michael Vaughan told the audience on the BBC Test Match Special: “England haven’t fielded well as a team. Not just dropped catches, but some more dives in the hands of others.” “England was fantastic at Lord’s but today it was like wearing an old sweater. The team of the last two years is back.”
Joe Root dropped a catch and Jack Crawley missed another opportunity after England, unchanged from the first Test, had taken back-to-back wickets just before lunch. New Zealand’s opening stand was the highest in a Test on the field since 2005, but both openers went in the space of two balls. England captain Ben Stokes took the ball and provided Will Young at second slip by a diving Crowley for 47 runs.
Mitchell & Blundell make England tough again! #WTC23 | #ENGvNZ | https://t.co/2h7KnwbegI pic.twitter.com/KRvnRKaO8J
— ICC (@ICC) June 10, 2022
New Zealand were 84-0 and it was 84-2 when stand-in captain Tom Latham fell to Matthew Potts at midwicket off James Anderson. On the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s at 39-6 at lunch, the visiting team’s morning score was still a considerable improvement. Anderson and Stokes took a wicket each, with the captain taking two for 40 in 12 overs.
New Zealand were 161-3 when Ben Fox caught Henry Nicholls (30) behind Stokes and the Black Caps slipped to 169-4 when the wicketkeeper repeated the feat with Devon Conway (46) off Anderson. Crowley dived across Root in an unsuccessful bid to catch Nichols and Root missed an easy offer from Mitchell when the batsman was on one.
Mitchell, who provided a light-hearted moment when he hit a six in the stands with the ball with a splash in someone’s beer, ended the day with an unbeaten 149 partnership with Tom Blundell.
With inputs from Reuters