Honours even in Hamilton as England, New Zealand trade blows

An even day of Test match cricket came to an end at Seddon Park on Day 1 as New Zealand got to 315 for 9 after being 212 for 6 at one stage. England were excellent with the ball for most parts but their last eight overs cost 76 runs.

Matthew Potts and Gus Atkinson picked up three-wicket hauls while Brydon Carse picked up a brace. Skipper Tom Latham and Mitchell Santner registered 50s, with the latter remaining unbeaten heading into Day 2.

A number of the other New Zealand batters got starts but could not convert it into a big score. Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips fell to the same trap of chasing wide deliveries and spooning their shots to backward point.

With England on top and things seeming to head in only one direction, Santner began to counter-attack with drives through cover and straight down the ground to find the fence. Tim Southee then played a cameo of 23 off 10 balls in his last Test match, consisting of three sixes as he moved to 98 Test sixes in his career.

Santner ended the day with a maximum over mid-off as he brought up his 50 off just 54 deliveries. Earlier on, under overcast conditions and on a greenish surface, England opted to bowl first.

The duo of Latham and Young got off to a very positive start with couple of drives to the fence after the visitors bowled eight extras resulting in boundaries. Latham drove Carse for three boundaries but was soon dismissed by Atkinson. Williamson looked in fine touch once again but was chopped back on to his stumps.

Stokes and Potts then heaped the pressure with a couple of maidens before the latter scalped Latham, who was strangled down the legside. Rachin Ravindra came out playing his shots with four boundaries in quick time but fell into the same trap, chasing a wide delivery as he edged one to Ben Duckett at wide gully on the stroke of Tea.

**Brief Scores:**New Zealand 315/9 (Tom Latham 63, Mitchell Santner 50*; Gus Atkinson 3-55, Matthew Potts 3-75) vs England