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ENGLAND’S seamers chipped away at the New Zealand batting on the opening day of the third and final Test in Hamilton.
Ben Stokes’ decision to field first looked to have been a misjudgement as Tom Latham and Will Young added 105 for the first wicket.
But England were excellent in scorching conditions across the afternoon and evening sessions to leave the home side 315-9 at the close.
Matthew Potts justified his inclusion ahead of Chris Woakes with 3-75. Gus Atkinson took three of his own and went past 50 wickets in his 11th Test.
Captain Latham made 63, Kane Williamson 44 and Young 42 in a New Zealand batting display again hampered by soft dismissals. At one stage, the home side lost five wickets for 70 runs.
At 231-7, England were eyeing the chance to bat before the close, only to be held up by Mitchell Santner.
The highlight of England’s day was still to come. From Matt Henry’s hook at Stokes, fine-leg Harry Brook tip-toed around the boundary, relaying the ball to himself and making a devilishly difficult catch look effortless.
The retiring Tim Southee was given a guard of honour and hoiked three sixes in his 23, but a swipe too many left last-man Will O’Rourke with Santner, who went to 50 by hitting Potts’ final ball of the day for six.
England, already series winners after victories in Christchurch and Wellington, are looking to become only the third visiting side to take a 3-0 clean sweep in this country.
England back-up toss decision
Stokes admitted his toss decision was made on the spur of the moment, influenced by the clouds that covered Hamilton on Saturday morning. He followed the captains in nine of the previous 11 Tests on this ground in choosing to field.
As ever, these decisions are judged with hindsight, yet there seems little doubt the hosts would have preferred to bat. They have included a second spinner in Santner as the career of seamer Southee is celebrated in front of his home crowd, who revelled in his late cameo.
England were not at their best in the morning session, losing their line too often, but the Kiwis did not get away. New Zealand’s passive approach continued for much of the day and the tourists took advantage.
The four-man seam attack operated as a unit, led by the wholehearted Potts and miserly Atkinson. Captain Stokes’ 23 overs is his most in an innings for two and a half years, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was not used.
A minor criticism was an overdoing of a bouncer plan to Santner and Henry, still that led to Brook’s moment of magic.
The pitch seems likely to turn later on and is already showing signs of uneven bounce, potential factors in an eventual England run chase.
Potts has had to settle for a bit-part role in the England attack. This is his 10th cap since making his debut more than two years ago, and only a second appearance of the winter.
England value his tirelessness and in the sapping heat he repaid the faith shown by his Durham team-mate Stokes.
If Potts’ first wicket, Latham tickling down the leg side, came from an innocuous delivery, his second was vital.
Williamson was looking ominous on a ground where he previously averaged 94. But Potts accounted for the New Zealand talisman three times in four innings at home in 2022 and had his measure once more here.
Playing with his trademark soft hands, Williamson dropped a lifting delivery to the ground, then was powerless as it bounced back on to his stumps. In the same spell, Potts enticed Glenn Phillips into a loose drive that looped to point.
Kiwis wasteful again
New Zealand have been below their best all series and again found ways to gift wickets to the grateful tourists.
Young, player of the series for the 3-0 win in India, played for the first time in this series in place of Devon Conway, who is on paternity leave. Young instantly looked more assured, scoring nicely through the off side.
Latham needed more fortune, twice edging past the dives of Ben Duckett at third slip. The opening stand was New Zealand’s best for 18 months and, after Atkinson found away movement to take Young’s edge, the Black Caps buckled.
Rachin Ravindra’s flirt at Brydon Carse ended in the hands of gully, Daryl Mitchell spent 19 deliveries on nought before an uppish drive at Atkinson was well swooped on by Stokes at mid-off.
Blundell, who should have been caught on nought by Joe Root at first slip, somehow hit a wide half-volley from Carse to point, where Jacob Bethell took an athletic catch above his head.
Apart from a blow to the head off Stokes, Santner dealt with England’s short-ball plan, slapping Carse for six. Henry helped Stokes for a maximum of his own then in the same over found the fleet-footed Brook.
Southee’s three sixes took his career tally to 98, joint-fourth on the all-time list with Chris Gayle, before a swipe at Atkinson was skied to mid-off. One more Santner maximum, over mid-off from Potts, took him to an unbeaten 50 from 54 balls. – BBCSport
A.I
Dec. 4, 2024
Tags: Matthew Potts
