Last Updated on 24 Jun 2022 12:39 am (UK Time)
Tom Blundell and Darryl Mitchell once again proved to be a thorn in England’s side as New Zealand fought back on day one of the Third and final Test.
After the magnificent run chase at Trent Bridge, Ben Stokes’s men were looking for a Series clean sweep at Headingley. On the other side, Kane Williamson’s Kiwis were looking to end their tour of England on a high with victory in the third and final Test of the Series.
And it was tourists who won the toss and elected to bat first. Unfortunately, they did not get off to the best of starts, as Vice-Captain was dismissed at 0-1 of the last ball of the first Over.
Will Young and the skipper steadied the ship, with some crisp boundaries.
Before Jack Leach trapped the right-handed opener LBW for 20, on his first ball of the match, at 35-2.
Williamson and Devon Conway took the score past 50.
Before the Captain nicked off to Broad at 62-3.
Conway’s confidence started to build and build with every boundary.
But overconfidence got the better of him when he chopped debutant, Jamie Overton onto his stumps at 83-4.
Mitchell carried on his good form with the bat.
Henry Nicholls also looked in fine touch at the other end.
Before he departed at 123-5, to one of the most bizarre dismissals. While trying to smash Leach down the ground, Nicholls smashed the ball into Mitchell’s bat, and it ricochet off the umpire and lobbed into the hands of Alex Lees at Mid-off.
New Zealand was in a spot of bother, and it was once again up to the Mitchell-Blundell duo, to dig them out of trouble.
And they did so, with an unbeaten partnership of 98.
However, England did miss an opportunity to go for a referral against Mitchel, when he was on eight. Matthew Potts struck him on the pads, and umpire Erasmas did not raise his finger, and hawk-eye clearly showed that the ball was smashing into the middle and leg.
The Kiwis end the first day’s play 225-5, and you could say that things would have been better for England, had Stokes been a bit brave and gambled, by reviewing the LBW decision against Mitchell, who continues to be a thorn in England’s side.
England still has a relatively new ball in their hands and will look for early wickets in the morning. New Zealand will be hoping that the Mitchell-Blundell partnership can pile on the pain for Stokes’s side on Day 2.
What will happen tomorrow?
Join us for Day 2 on World In Sport.
