Burns and Lawrence held the fort commendably for England even as New Zealand threatened to run through their batting unit on what was a pretty even day’s play this Thursday to kick-off the second Test in Edgbaston.
Burns, who scored a hundred last Test, continued his good form and rhythm, playing a very important knock of 81. Burns fought through the first session of play alongside fellow opener Dom Sibley (35) – England’s first opening session without a wicket lost on Day 1 of a home Test in a decade – and kept the Kiwis at bay for a large part of the second session.
The Black Caps finally made the inroads when they dismissed Sibley, Zak Crawley (0) and captain Joe Root (4) in very quick succession and left England suddenly reeling at 85/3.
The score soon read 175/6 as young and talented Ollie Pope (19) once again failed to carry on after a start. He was followed to the pavilion by Burns, whose hard-fought innings finally ended, and wicketkeeper James Bracey (0). This was Bracey’s second straight duck at the start of his Test career.
But, just when it seems the Kiwis will finish off the proceedings quickly, England found their saviour in Lawrence, who played other gritty innings in Test whites and scored an unbeaten 67 to take his team past 250 with good help from lower-order batsmen Olly Stone (20) and Mark Wood (16*).
Stone stitched a very important seventh-wicket stand of 47 runs with Lawrence when visitors had their tails up. Lawrence was then accompanied at the crease by Wood till stumps. Not for the first time, the lower-order came to England’s rescue and ensured parity for the day, much of the credit for which goes to Lawrence for not letting the ship sink from one end.
For the Kiwis, it was Matt Henry (2/66) and Neil Wagner (1/62) who led the initial blows and triggered a mini-collapse before comeback man Trent Boult (2/60) got in his element post-lunch and took a couple of wickets.
The backup arsenal also provided the visitors good control, with all-rounder Daryl Mitchell (0/23) hardly giving away a thing and left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel (2/34) contributing two crucial breakthroughs and keeping things tight. In a sense, Ajaz was the most impressive bowler on show for the visitors.
Performances from Henry, Mitchell and Ajaz would’ve pleased the team management enormously as it reflects the depth in New Zealand cricket these days. The trio seamlessly walked into the playing XI and produced the goods immediately.
Brief scores
England 258/7 in 90 overs (Rory Burns 81, Dan Lawrence 67*, Dom Sibley 35; Trent Boult 2-60, Matt Henry 2/66, Ajaz Patel 2/34) versus New Zealand at stumps on Day 1
