Ben Duckett and Harry Brook have been hailed for the way they have imposed the Ben Stokes method on New Zealand and set the tone for the series.
There was little doubt that England’s batters would take the game to the Kiwi bowlers after being inserted by new skipper Tim Southee. But it remains one thing having the intent, such as Zak Crawley did and falling cheaply, and quite another to follow it through successfully as Duckett and Brook did with their pair of 80s.
And former England skipper Alastair Cook was purring at the sight of the two most inexperienced batters leading the way as Stokes’ side took a stranglehold on day one with 325-9 declared before capturing three Blackcap wickets.
