England took the crucial wicket of Kane Williamson for 93 in a dramatic five-wicket final session to leave New Zealand 319-8 after the first day of the first Test in Christchurch on Thursday.
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The hosts took tea at a healthy 193-3 and fell to 252-7 before Glenn Phillips (41 not out) and Matt Henry (18) prevented the collapse with a lively 46-run stand for the eighth wicket.
Shoaib Bashir, the only specialist spinner in the Test, was England’s main destroyer with 4-69.
Former skipper Williamson was on track to take New Zealand into a dominant position after joining Tom Latham in mid-on when he lost opener Devon Conway in the second over.
He took 14 deliveries before reaching the target and maintained a 50-run partnership with Latham, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell.
Williamson, New Zealand’s leading Test run-scorer, played a key role in leading them to 227-4 before being called off attempting a cut shot that went to Zac Crawley at point to give Gus Atkinson his second wicket.
England started the Test with a roar, winning the toss and bowling on the top of the green, allowing Atkinson to remove Conway almost immediately.
But a composed Williamson for the remainder of the first two sessions turned the momentum back to New Zealand.
He was unfazed when Brydon Carse hit him twice on the helmet and survived a furious appeal for being caught behind on 51 when replays showed the ball had hit his thigh pad rather than the bat.
Williamson, who hit 10 fours, was dismissed in the 90s for the first time in six years after facing 197 deliveries in 274 minutes in temperatures hovering around 30 degrees Celsius.
The prolific batsman, who had scored at least 90 runs in Williamson’s previous 13 innings, went on to hit 8005 double centuries.
With the moisture on the ground causing early problems for the England bowlers’ delivery strides, Latham punished every loose ball.
But he lacked concentration in the first over after the morning drinks break and was bowled out for 47 by Carse.
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Ravindra assumed the role of the attacker as he and Williamson added 68 for the third wicket before Ravindra clumsily mishit Bashir’s loose full toss and made 34.
Mitchell took tea with Williamson but was bowled out for 19 in his second over after play resumed.
The wickets of Williamson, Tom Blundell (17) and debutant Nathan Smith (3) quickly followed as New Zealand fell to 252-7.
Henry added a brisk 18 while Phillips and Tim Southee (10) were the men to see out the day.
Jacob Bethell, 21, making his England debut, left-arm spin for one over with his first Test delivery dispatched for a boundary by Williamson.
Durham wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson joined the England squad on Thursday in place of the injured Jordan Cox and is expected to arrive on Saturday.
Cox fractured his right thumb during a net session last week, forcing a shakeup.
Bethell will bat at number three in this Test with Ollie Pope taking the gloves and lowering his batting average to number six.
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