23 Nov 2019

Cricket: England grab upper hand over Black Caps

6:22 am on 23 November 2019

England have grabbed the upper hand at stumps on day two of the first cricket Test against New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

Henry Nicholls.

Henry Nicholls. Photo: Photosport

England posted a first innings total of 353 and then reduced the home side to 144 for four at the close of play.

Skipper Kane Williamson made 51, bringing up his 31st test 50, but fell on the following delivery - caught in the slips off the bowling of Sam Curran.

The other New Zealand batsmen out were Jeet Ravel for 19, Tom Latham for 8, and Ross Taylor for 25.

Henry Nicholls survived a scare in the penultimate over of the day when he was hit on the helmet by England fast bowler Joffra Archer, but finished the day unbeaten on 26 while BJ Watling is not out 6.

England started the day at 241 for four, but lost four wickets in the space of 18 runs, before a 52-run ninth wicket stand bolstered their innings.

Ben Stokes top scored for England with 91, while bowling for New Zealand Tim Southee took four wickets and Neil Wagner three.

Nicholls will undergo concussion checks before returning to the crease on Saturday.

"He'll be assessed later on tonight and again in the morning, that's the protocol," said Southee, who sparked an England collapse in the first session and finished with figures of 4-88.

"He's shaping up all right at the moment so fingers crossed he'll be right.

"He's a pretty tough character so he'll rest up tonight, a couple of Panadol and be back out there tomorrow."

New rules allow players to be replaced if they are ruled out of matches due to concussion. During the Ashes in August Australia's Marnus Labuschagne replaced Steve Smith after he was hit by an Archer bouncer.

The hosts had been well placed late on the second day before England's Sam Curran dismissed captain Kane Williamson for 51, reducing New Zealand to 127-4.

"I guess it would have been nice to be three down," Southee said.

"But we've still got some batting to come and hopefully a couple of good partnerships and we can eke out some more runs."

Look back on the day's play here: