New Zealand leave it late but take series lead
New Zealand left it late but eventually took the final seven England wickets in Auckland to go one-nil up in the two-match Test series on Monday.
England resumed day five at Eden Park on 132/3 looking to bat themselves to a draw and salvaged something after being bowled out for just 58 in the first innings.
In the end the task was just to big even though the visitors’ batsmen consumed plenty of balls.
Ben Stokes took 188 balls to compile 66 while Jonny Bairstow (26 off 72) and Moeen Ali (28 off 43) changed their natural attacking games but in the end it was not to be.
New Zealand’s left-arm paceman Trent Boult, who caused havoc with the pink ball when taking six wickets in the first innings, again got in the action second time around round taking 3/67 to pick up the man of the match award.
It was the Kiwis’ left-arm enforcer, Neil Wagner,though that played a key role in the victory as he got the wickets of Stokes and Chris Woakes (52 off 188) with some hostile fast bowling to finish with figures of 3/72.
It was then left to leg-spinner Todd Astle to deliver the final touches as he got rid of Craig Overton and last man James Anderson to wrap up an innings and 49-run win.
The second and final Test of the series starts at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday.
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