Hapless England collapsed to 58 all out against New Zealand as only a defiant last-wicket stand helped them scramble past the lowest total in their 141-year Test history.
Trent Boult (six for 32) and Tim Southee (four for 25) proved unstoppable with the pink ball in the first day-night Test in New Zealand at Auckland’s Eden Park, until Craig Overton and James Anderson came up with belated and brief resistance.
The new-ball pair wreaked havoc as the tourists marginally managed to pass Test cricket’s all-time lowest total – 26 by New Zealand against England here in 1955 – falling to 27 for nine, and then had to rue their collective failure while home captain Kane Williamson (91no) took the reply to 175 for three at stumps.
I’ve seen some remarkable, ridiculous things in cricket but nothing to quite match the start of this test at Eden Park….?
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) March 22, 2018
Broad overshadowed
A wonderful achievement @StuartBroad8! ?
Scorecard: https://t.co/RJ6ETsb7Lf #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/3d7viAN5x6
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 22, 2018
Stuart Broad became the second Englishman to take 400 Test wickets when Tom Latham chipped him compliantly to the reliable Chris Woakes, who made no mistake with a simple catch. Sadly for Broad, his achievement will not be knocking England’s inexplicably bad batting off the headlines. Still, it could have been worse – he might have got even less of a mention if he had ticked off the landmark while England were sliding to an innings defeat to conclude their sorry Ashes campaign in Sydney a couple of months ago.
The twilight zone
WICKET! Anderson removes Taylor (20) with a short ball that the batsman miscues to Woakes at midwicket. New Zealand 123-3.
Watch live now on Sky Sports Cricket or follow our #NZvENG blog: https://t.co/exh8ehLXRM pic.twitter.com/jebbHgthRK
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 22, 2018
England managed two wickets under the lights. But it is hard to envisage a significant fightback in this match. It is true New Zealand’s new-ball pair were brilliant. The distinct impression was that the tourists’ talented batting line-up made it far too easy for them, though – and it is a heck of a long way back from here.
Stat of the day
20.4 overs93 minutes5 ducksThe stats behind England’s extraordinary collapse…#NZvsENG
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) March 22, 2018
58 all out – There is only one that counts, the bottom line from which England can have scant prospect of recovery here. Their all-time sixth-lowest total leaves them with a mountain to climb to improve an away record in Tests which reads no victory in 11, dating back to October 2016 – and eight defeats in nine.
What next?
So I guess we’ll call that New Zealand’s day.#NZvsENG pic.twitter.com/XYkIxBbWPF
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) March 22, 2018
Around three days of rain are still forecast in some quarters for Auckland. Even that may not be enough to save England, though.
