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15:41 Local time (8:11 IST): That was it from the first game of the three-match series as England go ahead 1-0 with a comfortable win at the Hagley Oval. With that, I, Keshav Singh Chundawat, on behalf of my co-commentator, Pradeep, bid you a goodbye. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for more cricketing action.
Ben Stokes [England captain]: There was obviously pressure on day two, looking back at 40/3; to be able to go on and put a big first innings score and get a pretty likeable lead was very nice. And I thought our bowlers were pretty relentless throughout the whole time in this first Test match. So yeah, a very good start. (On Harry Brook) Definitely, you just need a little bit of luck along the away. But you got to make those innings count when the opposition are dropping catches left, right and centre. You do gonna make that big score and Brooky always seems to find the funny side of everything. But like he is an incredible player and an incredible talent to have someone with his ability in out middle-order is outstanding and is constantly looking to put pressure on the opposition. So regardless of where we find ourselves in, I thought he seems to get the best out of him and is going strength to strength as a player. (On Brydon Carse) I have been fortunate to grow up with Brydon back in the Durham days and I have always noticed his potential and his talent. So to see him coming to this team and make such an impact so early on is amazing. He's an absolute workhorse who would be running in, charging in all day, regardless of if the conditions are in his favour or not. We've obviously seen that in Pakistan but to see him get rewards here this week walk off with a 6-fer and 10-fer for the game was amazing. (On Jacob Bethell) Chasing those little targets could be sometimes a little bit difficult but we know how to come out and take it on. Beth sort of goes to a zone in there that period there. The quick we could get there, the smaller the target seems. He has been playing like that all summer in the white ball cricket, so it was like seeing him in white-ball format. (His first innings) It was good but slightly down the order. Gus and Carse come in and play like that and so giving the strike to them felt like I should be playing that role. But it was kind off in a tricky place there and I just tried to build the partnership with Brook and make sure that we got off the total then. Having a long tail was pretty valuable here because it got us to a good first innings score. (On bowling just 6.3 overs in second innings) It's been a heavy week and a lot of time in the field; bowled 20 overs and spent some time in the middle. Hurt my back diving for a ball as well. So it was just more management than anything else. Where we were in the game, it felt sort of unnececessary to eke out any more balls than I needed out to. I think the body is going to be good for this outing and ready to go for Wellington soon.
Tom Latham [New Zealand captain]: We let ourselves down with catching, in the position we were and had them in, we lost a lot of opportunities, let go a lot of catches and allowed them to get back into the game. Some days don't go your way, but the attitude was there, didn't mean to drop catches, some days it happens, some days it goes the other way, that's cricket for you. You always want more, the partnerships was good, we had to extend a little bit, may be 100 more, could've been slightly different, with a quality team like England, these mistakes hurt. It's all about contribution, play their role, we're all working extremely hard, hopefully in Wellington we can change things. From our point of view, trying to stay ahead and with another opportunity, we're looking forward to that.
Brydon Carse is the Player of the Match! Here's what he has to say: Very proud with the outcome today, very satisfying win, we were thrown into challenges and got rewards in the game. Everyone contributed in different ways, different fields we were setting, everything paid off towards the end. Surfaces in Pakistan are certainly different than to what it is here, happy with my performance so far. Me and Gus have a good relationship off the field, we had a good conversation after the day's play, I just edged him with the sixes.
England win the game by 8 wickets
Jacob Bethell - 50* (37) | Ben Duckett - 27 (18) Matt Henry - 1/12 | William O’Rourke - 1/27
England goes 1-0 up in the three-match Test series against New Zealand with an 8-wicket win at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, chasing 104 runs in just 12.4 overs. After dismissing Daryl Mitchell to close the Kiwi innings, England chased the target easily with debutant Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root unleashing Bazball and baffling the Kiwi pace attack, even as Zak Crawley was dismissed early on in Matt Henry’s over. Playing his maiden Test game, Bethell notched a half-century as he ran a single to reach the target.
Earlier today, Daryl Mitchell stood tall against the visitors and added 99 runs with tailenders to give a slight chance to the Kiwi bowlers but to no resolve against England's Bazball. William O'Rourke exuded maturity with the bat by not throwing his wicket and forming a 45-run partnership for the last wicket as Daryl Mitchell lost his wicket in an attempt to hit a maximum over long on against Brydon Carse, who scalped 10 wickets in the game and a 6-fer in the second innings.
In the third innings, England capitalised on the lead of 151 runs and sent half of the Kiwi side back to the hut without the deficit covered. At the end of the day's play on Day 3, New Zealand had a meagre lead of 4 runs, with four wickets in hand.
Harry Brook top-scored for England with a massive century (171 off 197) in the first innings--courtesy of multiple dropped chances--resurrecting England's innings along with Ollie Pope after a disastrous outing by the top four. England skipper Ben Stokes also added crucial runs, with the tailenders playing cameos to put England in the driver's seat in the game.
With a win in the first game of the series, England will be oozing with confidence as they travel to Wellington for the next game. Meanwhile, the hosts need to assess their performance and put all the pieces in place to make a comeback in the series.
12.4 Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, ENGLAND ROMP HOME! Emphatic win for England as they go 1-0 up in the series, plenty to ponder for the hosts as to how things unfolded for them. Bethell notches up his maiden test fifty as well! Back of a length on off-stump, Bethell pulled it firmly to deep square-leg for just one, but that'll do!
12.3 Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, short and well outside the off-stump, Bethell had to reach for it and slashes it to wide third-man and they come back for a couple. Scores are level!
Music to the ears that was off Bethell's bat!
12.2 Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, OH! That's a sharp bumper from Smith, banged it into the track and well directed. Bethell swivels but decides to leave it alone.
12.1 Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, SIX! Bethell wasting no time now, just three needed. Short into the batter, sits up nicely and Bethell dispatched it with disdain over deep mid-wicket for a humongous strike.
Joe Root, typically a patient Test match batter is also displaying Bazball, smacking a biggie over fine-leg. Just 9 runs needed to win.
12
overs
95/2score
1
0
6
1
1
0
runs
Joe Root*
23(15)
Jacob Bethell
41(33)
William O'Rourke
1/27
11.6 William O'Rourke to Joe Root, OH! Short and that tailed back in sharply, cramps up the batter for room. Root leans back to ramp it over the keeper's head and misses.
11.5 William O'Rourke to Jacob Bethell, back of a length, angled into the batter. Bethell runs it down to third-man for a single.
11.4 William O'Rourke to Joe Root, back of a length middle and off, Root gets inside the line and tucked it to long-leg for one.
11.3 William O'Rourke to Joe Root, SIX! BANG! Sensational shot from Root, how did he pull that one off? Back of a length on off-stump, Root shuffles across again and helped it all the way over fine-leg boundary for a maximum.
11.2 William O'Rourke to Joe Root, OH! Short delivery, right over the off-stump line. Root walks across to pull but doesn't get the connection going.
11.1 William O'Rourke to Jacob Bethell, back of a length on fourth stump, Bethell tapped it past backward point and picks up a single.
England are comfortably cruising towards the target with just 18 runs required to seal the match.
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Joe Root
*
William O'Rourke
Video
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Hagley Oval, Christchurch
