When England lost the toss on a straw-coloured pitch, under cloudless skies, Stuart Broad, the leader of their attack, was heard groaning loudly as he ran off to get his bowling boots on. On every level, it looked a batting day.
So for England to pick up five wickets – the last of them desperately lucky, it should be added – before running into their familiar foes Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell felt a decent first day’s work. New Zealand ended the day 225 for five and, despite the sixth wicket pair’s unbeaten 100, the game was no worse than in the balance for England.
