Saturday 28 / December / 2024
Mount Maunganui : Following his side's massive 267-run win over New Zealand in the first Test, England skipper Ben Stokes heaped praises on veteran pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad and young batter Harry Brook, saying that the latter is going to be a global superstar.
England continued their red-hot run of form under skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum's leadership, as top knock by Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and clinical bowling by veteran pace duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad helped the side clinch their first Test win on New Zealand soil for the first time in almost 15 years, defeating Kiwis by 267 runs at Mount Maunganui on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in two-match series.
Evergreen duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad created history on Saturday when they overtook Australia greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to become the teammates with the most wickets in Test history, and the dynamic bowling duo were at it again to wrap up the Test triumph for England in style.
On the other hand, Harry Brook has also started his Test career with a bang. He has three tons and three fifties in his eight innings in five Tests and has scored 623 runs at an average of over 77.
On his side's performance and Anderson-Broad duo, Stokes said, "You need to stop calling it (Bazzball) that, you are gonna upset Brendon. Another great performance, very clinical with the bat and very clinical with the ball. When you look at the bowling attack that we have got with this pink ball, especially under lights ... we executed everything as well as we wanted to. When you have got the likes of Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson in your bowling attack, it is always going to be tough for any opposition with the bat in hand."
He continued, "One of the most pleasing things was whatever NZ threw at us - their options with the ball - we managed to react to that and come out on the positive side. Yet again it was entertaining cricket to watch. It is what we want to do. It is just going with what you feel is going to work. There is always an opportunity for wickets to be taken with short ball bowing, but it is also great opportunity to score runs. That is what the batters want to do - score runs and they took the aggressive option."
Some days it is not going to work, thankfully this week everything we tried to do paid off. That is a tactical thing around these day-night games, looking to take advantage of the new ball under those lights because it does a lot more. The way we set the game on day one, the pace we scored allowed us to get ahead of the game. Having 320 on the board was a good score, so we were able to inflict some hard damages with the new ball. It's tough for anyone when Jimmy and Broady get the new ball talking like that. Pretty blessed to be in charge of this bowling group at the moment. We take the scoreboard out of the equation in any situation."
On Brook, Stokes said, "Brooky is just carrying on from his amazing series in Pakistan. He is a fantastic talent and he is going to go on to be a global superstar. The senior guys with the bat have to take a lot of credit for allowing these young guys to go out there and express themselves and show the world what they are all about."
It was the first time England have won a Test on New Zealand soil for almost 15 years, with their most recent triumph coming when a seven-wicket haul in the first innings from Ryan Sidebottom led Michael Vaughan's side to victory at McLean Park in Napier in March 2008.
England gave Kiwis a target of 394 runs to chase and the hosts were given a task to make their biggest run-chase ever.
But all-rounder Daryl Mitchell (57* off 101 balls) was left as the last man standing after a brutal onslaught from Anderson-Broad, who took eight wickets combined during the innings. Besides Mitchell, only Michael Bracewell (25) and opener Tom Latham (15) were able to touch double-digits.
Anderson continued to prove his ageless nature, taking 4/18 in 10.3 overs. Broad also took 4/49 in 15 overs. Ollie Robinson and Jack Leach picked up a wicket each.
England's second innings concluded with them being bundled out for 374 runs. With this, they took a 393-run lead in the match.
Joe Root (57), Harry Brook (54) and wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes (51) hit the fifties for England to build a healthy lead for their side.
Blair Tickner (3/55) and Michael Bracewell (3/68) were the leading bowlers for Kiwis. Neil Wagner and Scott Kuggeleijn took two wickets each as well.
Earlier, the Kiwis were all out for 306 in their first innings. After being reduced to 83/5, Devon Conway (77) had an 85-run stand for the sixth wicket with Tom Blundell, who went on to smash 138 runs in 181 balls. Blundell became the first-ever wicketkeeper-batter to have a century in a pink-ball Test match. Knocks from Neil Wagner (27) and Kuggeleijn (20) also came in handy for the Kiwis.
Ollie Robinson picked up 4/54 in 19 overs. James Anderson took 3/36 in his 16.5 overs. Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes and Jack Leach picked up one wicket each.
With this score, NZ was trailing by 19 runs after their first innings. England had declared their first innings on 325/9 in just 58.2 overs. Half-centuries from Brook (89) and Ben Duckett (84) were highly crucial for the visitors. Ollie Pope (42) and Foakes (38) also played some useful knocks in the first innings.
Wagner was the pick of the bowlers for NZ in the first innings with 4/82 in 16.2 overs. Skipper Tim Southee and Kuggeleijn got two wickets each. Tickner picked up one wicket.
Harry Brook earned the 'Man of the Match' award for his twin half-centuries (89 and 54 runs).
It means England has now won 10 of their most recent 11 Test matches, with their only blemish since McCullum took over as coach early last year coming at the hands of South Africa at Lord's.
It is an outstanding recent run of form and it has helped England move up to third place on the ICC Men's Test Team Rankings behind only ICC World Test Championship leaders Australia and India.
While the series in New Zealand is not part of the current World Test Championship, it will provide England with plenty of confidence ahead of the second match and this year's Ashes series at home against Australia.
England will look to clinch the series against New Zealand when the second Test commences in Wellington on February 25.
Brief Scores: New Zealand: 306 and 126 (Daryl Mitchell 57, Michael Bracewell 25, James Anderson 4/18) lost to England: 325/9 declared and 374 (Joe Root 57, Harry Brook 54, Blair Tickner 3/55).
