England has batted themselves into the lead during the opening day for their first Test match against the New Zealand side, which took place in Mount Maunganui. Three of the visitors’ top five were able to land half centuries as England closed quickly on 241-4. Ben Strokes claimed a 67 that was not beaten for the rest of the game following from fifties from Joe Denly and Rory Burns. Colin de Grandhomme took 2-28 for the hosts on a batting wicket.
The English side have become known for batting collapses in their last few matches, but this has been a strong start to the Test series. Captain Joe Root has been the only player in the top order that was not able to reach double figures, while Dom Sibley – making his debut – hinted at his more patient play style with a 22.
Stokes had been dropped on 63 by Ross Taylor later in the day, but he was able to push his team enough to allow them to close in on the New Zealand team, along with Ollie Pope who had claimed an 18. During their most recent our of New Zealand, England had lost for 58 on the opening day, but Denly showed enough determination that he made up for the losses the team suffered during their previous Tests. Talking about the game, Rory Burns said that it had been a tough but good day, and that he was not playing as well as he could have.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | BetEasy |  | 5/5 | 100% Match Bonus | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Ladbrokes | | 4.9/5 | 100% Match up to $250 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 3 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.8/5 | 100% Match | Bet now |
More About Trent Wilson
Trent Wilson is OnlineBetting.nz’s resident sports news expert. He draws on his extensive sporting knowledge, his qualification in sports management and his passion for betting to provide the latest, most up to date information on sporting events in New Zealand and across the globe. Trent is a veritable treasure trove of sports information and has been betting online for several years. He prides himself in keeping his readers informed, and in always offering an unbiased standpoint that reflects exactly what’s going on in the sports world.
View Posts - Visit WebsiteYou May Also Like:
Tearful Taylor Pays Tribute to Crowe
An anguished Ross Taylor paid tribute to the late New Zealand Cricketer Martin David Crowe MBE after becoming his country’s greatest-ever Test runscorer. The two superstars were very close until Crowe perished from lymphoma in 2016, with the Kiwi hero taking on the roles of mentor and sounding board for ….
Latham’s Off the Field With a Broken Finger
Tom Latham’s finger got broken during the Black Caps’ third Test in Sydney and he is now the latest entry on the ever-lengthening list of New Zealand’s walking wounded on this seemingly cursed Australian tour. Latham is just one of three other players who have been injured on this circuit. ….
NZ Cricket Must Make Sure Williamson Doesn’t Burn Out
Things are taking a worrying turn as Kane Williamson and his Black Caps keep falling short in Australia. Making them even more alarming are the concerns currently rising about how well the Kiwi superstar is handling his captaincy. Brendon McCullum is close with Williamson and has expressed doubts as to ….
New Zealand Beats England 1-0
New Zealand claimed a 1-0 series victory against England as centuries from Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson helped them secure a draw for the second test that took place in Hamilton. Captain Williamson had earned an unbeaten 104, while Taylor’s 105 not out gave New Zealand the chance to take ….
England Beat New Zealand In Twenty20
England’s James Vince gave his team the chance to begin their winter tour of New Zealand on a high note thanks to a seven wicket win in the first Twenty20 that took place in Christchurch. Vince struck a 59 off of 38 balls as England shot past the target of ….