Shoaib Bashir keeps England in touch against New Zealand with four wickets - after Kane Williamson shows his class in Christchurch Williamson scored an impressive 93 to help New Zealand end day one on 319-8 Bashir kept chipping in for England after captain Ben Stokes had won the toss Stokes was left to rue dropping Glenn Phillips, who finished the day on 41 not out By LAWRENCE BOOTH Published: 06:26 GMT, 28 November 2024 | Updated: 06:31 GMT, 28 November 2024 e-mail View comments Four wickets for Shoaib Bashir allowed England to stay in touch with New Zealand on a fluctuating opening day of this three-Test series. After being put in on a sweltering day in Christchurch, the New Zealanders closed on 319 for eight, a total that centred on a typically classy 93 from the returning Kane Williamson and a punchy late 41 not out from Glenn Phillips. And it left England to rue dropping the dangerous Phillips before he had scored, Ben Stokes putting down a tough chance diving to his left at mid-off from the bowling of Gus Atkinson.
It was just one of several moments of scrappiness from the tourists in front of packed house of around 8,000 – divided equally, it seemed, between locals and visitors. With the sun out, Hagley Oval was a picture. But England were less pristine, conceding 35 extras, including 11 in no-balls – seven by Atkinson alone – and 10 in wides, while no one spotted that Rachin Ravindra had edged Stokes to Ollie Pope in the last over before lunch.
Two sets of overt.
