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 |  | Ladbrokes |  | 5/5 | 100% Match up to $250 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.9/5 | 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:
Joe Root Voices Full Support For Ben Stokes
England cricketing captain Joe Root says he’s fully behind all-rounder Ben Stokes as the latter spends a time away from the game for recovering his state of mental well-being. Stokes is currently taking an indefinite break from the game for what he has described as putting his mental well-being first. ….
World Test Championship Final’s Shocking Prize
The world is still coming to terms with the recent announcement of the ICC World Test Championship. The winners are set to take home $2.24 million while the runner-up is set to receive $1.12 million. This is a lot less than what other major trophy winners receive and has led ….
BJ Watling To Retire For Family Reasons
Extended periods of time spent away from his young family, more than anything, was what had eventually led Black Caps legend BJ Watling to call time on his cricketing career with New Zealand. Watling, 35, announced this week that he’ll be calling time on his career once the Black Caps ….
Coach Says Siefert Coping Despite Isolation
While there isn’t yet any specific timetable in place for Black Caps player Tim Seifert’s return back home from India, coach Gary Stead has voiced his backing of the player to make it through a precarious and harrowing time. Seifert remains stranded in India after returning two failed PCR tests ….
Kiwi Players Happy To Remain In IPL For Now
Although obviously concerned about everything happening around them in India, New Zealand Cricket Players Association chief executive Heath Mills has said Kiwis competing in the country in this year’s Indian Premier League tournament feel safe in their respective IPL bubbles. Although the New Zealanders competing in this year’s most cash-rich ….