HAMILTON, New Zealand — In the first day of the third test against England, New Zealand faced a rollercoaster of a performance, initially establishing a promising position at 172-2 but collapsing to 231-7 before finishing the day at 315-9. Mitchell Santner showcased resilience by reaching his fourth test half-century and ending the day unbeaten on 50, with Will O’Rourke yet to score. The lower order of New Zealand contributed significantly, adding 76 runs in the last eight overs, which provided a lift after a shaky middle order performance.
The day commenced positively for New Zealand as Tom Latham and Will Young formed a formidable partnership, aggregating 105 runs for the first wicket. This was New Zealand’s best opening partnership in nearly 28 tests, giving them an unexpected advantage over England, who had dominated the series thus far with a 2-0 lead. England triumphed in the first test by eight wickets and secured a comprehensive 323-run victory in the second test, leaving the New Zealand team struggling to find their footing throughout those games.
England won the toss and opted to bowl first, only for New Zealand to reach 93-0 by lunch. It seemed as though England’s captain Ben Stokes had misjudged the conditions when he sent New Zealand to bat first. The Seddon Park pitch had a hint of green, with warm weather and fluffy clouds indicating a potential for the ball to swing. However, as the day progressed, it became evident that the surface remained firm with minimal swing or seam movement, complicating England’s initial plans.
The opening pair’s achievement was highlighted by Young, who replaced Devon Conway—whose wife had recently given birth. Young had been under consideration for his selection after a stellar series where he was Player of the Series against India, boasting an average close to 50. He played aggressively, scoring 42 not out at lunch, including 40 runs from boundaries, and marked a personal milestone by surpassing 1,000 test runs without a century, becoming the first New Zealander to do so since Stephen Fleming.
Rachin Ravindra contributed 18 runs with four boundaries but fell to a loose shot off Brydon Carse, eventually being caught by Ben Duckett. The television umpire reviewed a possible no-ball but Ravindra was not granted a reprieve. Meanwhile, Kane Williamson demonstrated authority with his innings of 44 before an unfortunate mishap saw him bowled by Matthew Potts, who marked a solid return with figures of 3-75, including the crucial wicket of Williamson.
Following Williamson’s dismissal, New Zealand quickly lost Daryl Mitchell (14), Glenn Phillips (5), and Tom Blundell (21) in rapid succession due to poor shot selection, which raised serious concerns in their batting lineup. However, Santner and Matt Henry managed to stabilize the innings briefly with a partnership of 41 for the eighth wicket before Henry was caught spectacularly by Harry Brook, who executed an impressive fielding maneuver.
Tim Southee, in his 107th and final test appearance, received a heartfelt guard of honor from the England players as he took the pitch. The veteran hit a flurry of sixes during his brief stay at the crease, including two sixes on his first two balls faced and another on the first ball of the new ball. He ended with 23 runs from just 10 balls, showcasing his trademark aggressive play before being dismissed.
With the day closing on a mixed note for New Zealand, the team looks to capitalize on the momentum gained from their late overs, while England aims to consolidate their already strong position in the series.
