New Zealand wrapped up an impressive innings and 65-run victory over England shortly after tea on the final day of the first test at Bay Oval on Monday with Neil Wagner running through the tourists’ lower order.
Wagner took three wickets in 17 balls for one run as England collapsed from 132-5 to 138-8 before tea, then broke a 59-run ninth-wicket partnership between Jofra Archer and Sam Curran after they had threatened to thwart the hosts, reports Reuters.
The left armer, who finished with figures of 5-44 from 19.2 overs, trapped Stuart Broad in front for a first ball duck to end England’s resistance at 197.
Wicketkeeper BJ Watling was named man of the match after his maiden double century of 205 and hefty partnerships with Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, and Mitchell Santner helped the hosts to a first innings of 615-9 declared.
“It felt really good,” Watling said at the post-match presentation. “The key was to get partnerships, and the boys stuck in there at the end.
“We tried to build as much of a lead as possible and hoped the wicket would do funny things on day five.”
After Santner had taken three quick England wickets late on Sunday, the tourists resumed on 55-3 needing to bat the entire fifth day to stop New Zealand from taking a 1-0 lead into the second match of the two-test series on Friday in Hamilton.
And while they showed signs they might be able to see the day out, tentative shot- and poor decision-making led to their downfall.