CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — On the second day of the inaugural Test against England, Glenn Phillips achieved a notable half-century, helping New Zealand to conclude their first innings at a total of 348. By lunchtime, England’s response was challenging, sitting at 45 for 3, with Ben Duckett holding his ground at 32 not out.
England began their innings on shaky ground, losing Zak Crawley early. Debutant Nathan Smith made an immediate impact by dismissing Jacob Bethell for 10 runs and then Joe Root without scoring in just three balls in a surprising sequence just before lunch. Smith’s first wicket came when he bowled Bethell with his second over’s opening delivery. Shortly after, he claimed Root’s wicket as well; Root had a difficult outing in his 150th Test. He faced a short delivery that moved in sharply, leading to an inside edge that ricocheted from his pad onto the stumps.
The players took a break for lunch following Root’s dismissal, leaving Duckett poised to be joined by Harry Brook. New Zealand resumed its innings after a promising first day, with Phillips returning to the crease at 41 not out as their score stood at 319-8. Kane Williamson was the standout performer for the Kiwis, scoring 93 runs after the team lost the toss and was asked to bat first.
The contrasting weather between the two days was striking. The first day was characterized by warm temperatures and a brisk north-easterly wind, presenting challenges for the English bowlers. In contrast, the second day was cooler, around 15 degrees Celsius (59 Fahrenheit), under an easterly breeze. The bowling conditions also appeared to shift dramatically; after minimal swing on day one, the ball exhibited considerable movement on the second day.
When play resumed, New Zealand had only three overs to face the new ball. The prior partnership between Phillips and Tim Southee, which yielded 21 runs, generated just six additional runs before Southee was dismissed by Brydon Carse, caught by Gus Atkinson. Phillips then focused on maintaining strike throughout the final overs, adding another 23 runs with the last batsman, Will O’Rourke, who ended the innings without registering a score. Phillips successfully reached his fifth Test half-century with 77 balls, striking five fours and a six, before O’Rourke’s dismissal in the eighth over of the day, bowled out by Carse, who finished with impressive figures of 4 for 64. Meanwhile, England’s top order continued to struggle under the challenging conditions, especially with the swinging ball, as Southee and Matt Henry applied consistent pressure. Henry trapped Crawley lbw in the fourth over, furthering New Zealand’s grip on the match.