Cricket
ICC Player of the Month for May 2022: Check Out the Nominees
The International Cricket Council announced the three finalists for the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022. The veteran batter from Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim, is one of the nominees for the coveted individual award. Sri Lankans Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando are the other two candidates. All three candidates had a great outing in the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series 2022 in the month of May. Let's take a look at how these players performed in the month of May.
ICC Player of the Month for May 2022: Who has a Strong Chance of Winning the Award?
Nominated players - Mushfiqur Rahim, Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando all had significant contributions to their respective teams in the recently concluded Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2022. Mushfiqur Rahim was the top performer for Bangladesh, while Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando played key roles in winning the series for Sri Lanka.
Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)
Test: 2 | Runs: 303 | Ave: 151.50 | HS: 175* | 100s: 2
Mushfiqur Rahim made two centuries in the month of May during the Test series against Sri Lanka. Rahim completed his 5,000 Test runs during the first Test in Chattogram, becoming the first Bangladesh player to do so. He also made a hundred (105) and a 165-run partnership with Litton Das in the first innings of the first Test. Their effort helped the hosts to take a good first innings lead over the visitors.
Read Shakib Al Hasan's Captaincy Record in Test Cricket: An Overview
Mushfiqur also played an unbeaten 175*-run innings in the first innings of the second Test and, more importantly, his record-breaking 272-run stand with Litton Das for the sixth wicket helped Bangladesh to make a strong comeback in the first innings. Bangladesh lost the series 1-0 to Sri Lanka, so Mushfiqur's chance of winning the award is slimmer than the other two nominees because of that.
Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
Test: 2 | Runs: 344 | Ave: 172.00 | HS: 199 | 100s: 2
Angelo Mathews had a magnificent Test series against Bangladesh last month. He played a brilliant 199-run knock in the first innings of the first Test, which helped Sri Lanka put up a commendable total. However, Mathews's contribution in the second Test is even better. His 199-run partnership with Dinesh Chandimal on the sixth wicket helped Sri Lanka to take more than a 100-run lead over Bangladesh in the first innings of the series-decider match. Mathews was unbeaten with 145* runs. Sri Lanka went on to win the match by 10 wickets.
Read ENG vs NZ First Test 2022: England Seize Control of Series Opening Match
The experienced Angelo Mathews was the heart of the Lankan batting line-up in the Bangladesh series, and it was thanks to his contributions with the bat that they were able to defeat the hosts. Therefore, Mathews is the big favourite to win the award.
Asitha Fernando (Sri Lanka)
Test: 2 | Wkts: 13 | Ave: 16.61 | BBI: 6/51 | 5W: 1
Asitha Fernando stunned everyone by showing discipline and an effective bowling performance against Bangladesh in the Test series. Fernando had shown his talent by picking up three wickets in the first match, but it was his performance in the second Test that caught the eyes of everyone.
Read Joe Root Reaches 10,000 Runs Milestone as England win First Test Against New Zealand
In the first innings of the second match, Asitha and Kasun dismantled Bangladesh's batting order by picking up 9 wickets between them, with Asitha taking four of them. Asitha was even more destructive in the second innings, picking up 6 wickets and helping his team bowl Bangladesh out for only 169 runs. The target was only 29 for the Lankans, which they comfortably chased down without losing a wicket. Asitha Fernando is a strong contender for the award.
Verdict
The three players nominated for the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022 are all deserving candidates. Angelo Mathews, who was the most impactful player in the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka series, seems to have a better chance of winning it. Mathews was the winner of the Player of the Series award, which may give him an edge over other nominees. Asitha Fernando, who was the most troublesome bowler for Bangladesh's batting line-up, also has a strong chance to win the award. Mushfiqur Rahim was Bangladesh's best player during the Sri Lanka series. It won't come as a surprise if Mushfiqur outbids the other two for this honor.
Read Tamim, Siddons among group off to West Indies tonight
Tamim, Siddons among group off to West Indies tonight
Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal and batting coach Jamie Siddons left the capital for West Indies Monday (Jun 6) night by a Qatar Airways flight.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Yasir Ali are also part of the batch, the second to leave for the Tigers' tour of the West Indies.
Bangladesh will have a full tour including two Tests, three ODI and three T201s in that order, with the first Test starting on June 16. The Test series will be part of the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship.
Spinner Taijul Islam and pacer Mustafizur Rahman will fly for West Indies on Wednesday (June 8) while Bangladesh Test captain Shakib Al Hasan, who left Dhaka on Sunday for USA will join the team on June 10.
Earlier in the first batch on Friday, fresh off the Test captaincy Mominul Haque, batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto, and pacemen Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed left Dhaka. They are already in the Caribbean.
Also Read: Mushfiqur, Liton grind Sri Lanka after Tamim’s ton
Fast bowling coach Allan Donald will join the team in West Indies from London while Head Coach Russell Domingo and fielding coach Shane McDermott will also join the team from Cape Town.
On their last tour of the West Indies in 2018, Bangladesh clinched ODI and T20 series, but lost the Test series.
Prime Bank National School Cricket moves to quarterfinals
The national round of the Prime Bank School Cricket Tournament 2022 moved on to the quarterfinals following opening matches at the different venues of the capital and nearby areas Monday.
The quarterfinalists are Sunamganj Government Jubilee High School, Joypurhat KG and High School, Pirojpur Government High School, and Rangpur Shishu Niketan High School.
In the day's matches, Sunamganj Government Jubilee High School beat Barisal Asmat Ali Khan School by eight wickets at Shamsuzzoha Sports Complex in Narayanganj.
Joypurhat KG and High School defeated Lalmonirhat Government High School by 44 runs at City Club Ground in the capital.
Also Read: Prime Bank School Cricket national round begins Monday
Pirojpur Government High School outplayed Bogura Police Lines High School by eight wickets at Hamidur Rahman Stadium in Keraniganj.
Rangpur Shishu Niketan High School beat Mymensingh Premier Ideal School by nine runs at Jagannath Hall Ground in Dhaka to reach the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals Thursday, Joypurhat KG and High School will play against Rangpur Shishu Niketan High School and Pirojpur Government High School will face Sunamganj Government Jubilee High School.
Sixteen teams – champions and runners-up teams of the country's eight divisions split into two groups – are competing in the first phase of the tournament.
The semifinals will be held on June 11 and the final match on June 13.
Joe Root Reaches 10,000 Runs Milestone as England win First Test Against New Zealand
Former England captain Joe Root became only the fourteenth player in history to amass 10,000 Test runs while playing the opening match of the series against New Zealand at Lords. Joe Root reached the milestone with a match-winning unbeaten 115*-run effort in the second innings while pursuing 277 runs for victory. England won the match by 5 wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The first Test match report between England and New Zealand is discussed in this article, as well as Joe Root's Test career accomplishments.
Overview of Joe Root's Test Career
When Joe Root made his debut against India back in 2012, he was 22 years old. The talented middle-order batter was regarded highly by the ECB selectors back then. He didn’t disappoint them, as over the years he has become one of the best batters in the world.
Read ENG vs NZ First Test 2022: England Seize Control of Series Opening Match
Within a few years, Joe Root became one of the main batters in the English team. In 2017, he was appointed as Test captain for the national side, a role he held till 2022. However, he lost the trust of the board after a series of defeats in the recent past. Under his guidance, England lost their last five series, which included the Ashes 2021–2022 season. Overall, England have won 27, lost 26 and drawn 11 in 64 matches under Joe Root’s captaincy.
As a batter, Joe Root has accomplished a lot. He is only the second English batter after Alastair Cook to reach the 10,000 Test run milestone. Root scored 1708 runs in the year 2021, which is the third highest overall in a calendar year. Overall, Joe Root has scored 10,015 runs in 218 innings with an average of 49.57. He has smacked 26 centuries, with his best 254 runs coming against Pakistan in 2016 at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Read Bangladesh vs West Indies Series 2022: Full Fixtures and Squads
The list of players who have scored 10,000 or more Test Runs
Player
Match
Innings
Runs
HS
Ave
100s
Sachin Tendulkar
200
329
15,921
248*
53.78
51
Ricky Ponting
168
287
13,378
257
51.85
41
Jack Kallis
166
280
13,289
224
55.37
45
Rahul Dravid
164
286
13,288
270
52.31
36
Alastair Cook
161
291
12,472
294
45.35
33
Kumar Sangakkara
134
233
12,400
319
57.40
38
Brian Lara
131
232
11,953
400*
52.88
34
Shivnarine Chaderpaul
164
280
11,867
203*
51.37
30
Mahela Jayawardene
149
252
11,814
374
49.84
34
Alan Border
156
265
11,174
205
50.56
27
Steve Waugh
168
260
10,927
200
51.06
32
Sunil Gavaskar
125
214
10,122
236*
51.12
34
Younis Khan
118
213
10,099
313
52.05
34
Joe Root
118
218
10,015
254
49.57
26
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Shakib Al Hasan's Captaincy Record in Test Cricket: An Overview
England vs New Zealand First Test 2022: Match Report
New Zealand gave England a 277-run target after an improved batting performance in their second innings thanks to a 195-run stand between Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell.
England started off their innings with a positive intent as the opening stand made 31 runs in 8 overs. However, England’s pursuit of reaching the target was halted in a big way after losing 4 wickets for 69 runs. With a 90-run partnership between Joe Root and captain Ben Stokes, England repaired their innings quite well. But they still required 118 runs with five wickets in hand.
Read IPL 2022: Meet the Top Individual Performers
The New Zealand campaign was expecting to put England on the back foot by picking up quick wickets early in the morning on day 4. However, their expectations didn’t come out as planned as Root and Ben Foakes took charge of the Kiwi bowlers and sealed the match just after the drinks break of the morning session. Joe Root remained unbeaten on 115*, having completed his 100 and 10,000 in the same delivery. Justifiably, Root was named player of the match for his brilliant effort with the bat.
Earlier in the match, New Zealand were all out for 132 in their first innings. In response, England had only a 9 run lead after scoring 141 runs in their first innings. New Zealand made a good comeback in their second innings and scored 285 runs. The second Test match of the series will start on June 10 (Friday) at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
Read Litton Das Reaches 12, Highest Ever Test Ranking in Career
Aftermath
England's Joe Root led his side to a stunning victory over New Zealand in the first Test, the country's first triumph in 2022. The English Test team appears to have benefited from the changes in captaincy and head coach. England have moved up to eighth place in the ICC World Test Championship, in addition to securing a series lead. Meanwhile, Joe Root now leads the World Test Championship top scorers chart with 1,301 runs and also has the most hundreds in the competition with six.
Prime Bank School Cricket national round begins Monday
The national round of the Prime Bank School Cricket Tournament 2022 will begin Monday in the capital and nearby areas.
Sixteen teams – champions and runners-up teams of the country's eight divisions split into two groups, will compete in the first phase.
Four matches will be held on the opening day.
Also read: Siddons backs Shakib as captain
Lalmonirhat Government High School will play against KG and High School at City Club Ground; Premier Ideal High School will face Shisu Niketan High School at Jagannath Hall Ground in the capital.
Bogura Police Lines High School will lock horns with Pirojpur Government High School at Hamidur Rahman Stadium in Keraniganj.
Asmat Ali Khan Institution will meet Government Jubilee High School at Shamsuzoha Sports Complex in Narayanganj.
Four quarterfinals will be held on June 9, two semifinals on June 11, and the final match on June 13.
Tamim becomes Robi brand ambassador
Bangladesh ODI Cricket team captain Tamim Iqbal has become the brand ambassador of telecom operator Robi for the next two years.
This was disclosed at a press conference in the capital Sunday.
Also read: Mushfiqur, Liton grind Sri Lanka after Tamim’s ton
Tamim will work with Robi to promote the company's network strength, digital innovations and other initiatives. He will also feature in the telecom operator's television commercials, meet and greet events and other activities.
The opening batsman said: "Be it batting, bowling, fielding or introducing a life-enhancing digital solution in the market, the common thread that binds cricket with the digital space is innovation. I am absolutely delighted to work with Robi to promote its network excellence and digital prowess to the country."
M Riyaaz Rasheed, acting CEO of Robi, said: "We are indeed proud to have one of the finest opening batsmen of the world, Tamim Iqbal, associated with us as our brand ambassador. Whenever Tamim takes to the crease, possibilities become realities artfully. We feel his artwork resonates well with Robi's mission of ensuring the best digital network experience for its customers."
Tamim made his ODI debut in 2007. He served as vice-captain of the national side between December 2010 and September 2011.
In March 2021, the southpaw became the first Bangladeshi player to score 50 ODI half-centuries, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest Bangladeshi batsmen for scoring the highest runs in ODI cricket.
Also read: Al Amin bags six, Tamim hits a ton as Dhaka League ends
In 2011, Tamim was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year and Wisden's Test Player of the Year. He is the only Bangladeshi cricketer to score centuries in all three formats of cricket.
The batter is also Bangladesh's highest century maker in international matches with 25 centuries, combining all forms of cricket.
ENG vs NZ First Test 2022: England Seize Control of Series Opening Match
England have gained control of the ENG vs NZ first Test 2022 at Lords at the end of day three. With five wickets in hand, the hosts just need 61 runs to win the match. England are hoping to win the match without losing any more wickets with Joe Root and Ben Foakes at the crease. Though, given the way the match has gone so far, another twist is likely on day 4. Let's have a look at the scenario for the first Test match between England and New Zealand.
First Test Match Scenario between England and New Zealand
New Zealand's regular captain, Kane Williamson, has returned to the Test team for the England series after missing numerous international matches owing to an elbow injury. On the other hand, leg-spinner Matt Parkinson and medium pacer Matthew Potts made their debuts for England. Additionally, this is the first series for both newly appointed Test captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Here is the ENG vs NZ first Test 2022 current match situation.
Read Shakib Al Hasan's Captaincy Record in Test Cricket: An Overview
New Zealand’s First Innings
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson opted to bat first in order to put some runs on the board. However, the pitch was perfect for the pace bowlers to finish two innings on day 1. The English pacers exploited the pitch extremely well and picked up 6 wickets for 39 runs at lunch.
New Zealand tried to make a comeback with a 41-run partnership between Colin de Grandhomme and Tim Southee for the eighth wicket. Their stand helped the visitors get past the 100-run barrier. The New Zealand batters were in an aggressive mood in the post lunch session and that helped them score some quick runs.
They were eventually bowled out for 132 in 40 overs. Colin de Grandhomme remained unbeaten on 42*, while England's veteran James Anderson and newcomer Matthew Potts each took four wickets.
Read Mitchell, Blundell combine to thwart England at Lord's
England’s First Innings
Unfortunately, England couldn’t take full advantage of their good work with the ball. Like the Blackcaps, the hosts also suffered a batting collapse in their first innings. They lost 7 wickets on day 1 for 116 runs. It took New Zealand only 6.5 overs in the first session of day 2 to pick up all of England’s wickets for 141 runs. England only managed to take a 9-run lead in the first innings.
Openers Alex Lees (25) and Zak Crawley (43) gave England a good start by putting up 59 runs between them. But after their departures, England’s innings fell apart, and they continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. Tim Southee picked up 4, while Trent Boult got 3 wickets for New Zealand.
Read Litton Das Reaches 12, Highest Ever Test Ranking in Career
New Zealand’s Second Innings
The pitch became a bit easier to bat on day 2. New Zealand once again found themselves in big trouble at the beginning of the innings. They lost 4 wickets for 56 runs. However, a magnificent 195-run stand between Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell for the fifth wicket took New Zealand's total to 251 runs. Blundell made 96 runs, while Mitchell made a century with 108 runs.
New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 285 runs after giving England a 277-run target. Stuart Broad and Matthew Potts picked up three wickets each for England.
Read Bangladesh vs West Indies Series 2022: Full Fixtures and Squads
England’s Second Innings
England started their chase in the first session of day-three and they tried to attack the Kiwi pacers from the beginning of the innings. Like in the first innings, the openers gave a solid start for England. But the hosts also saw a dramatic collapse in their second innings, losing 4 wickets for 69 runs.
Joe Root and skipper Ben Stokes then repaired the innings with a 90-run stand between them on the fifth wicket. Ben Stokes lost his wicket to Kyle Jamieson after scoring 54 runs. Root (77*) and Foakes added 57 runs for the sixth wicket before the end of the day’s play, taking the total to 216.
The pair will come on to bat on day 4 to chase down the 277 run target. Kylie Jamieson has been superb in the second innings for New Zealand. He has already picked up four wickets for the visitors.
Read IPL 2022: Meet the Top Individual Performers
Verdict
The English team is still in danger of losing the ENG vs NZ first Test 2022 after losing five crucial wickets. Besides, this particular pitch at the Lords is doing the bowlers a big favour. The batters have struggled to shine on this surface because of this. However, batting is becoming more comfortable in the second innings, which is an optimistic sign. With two days remaining, England must be watchful and calm in their pursuit of the winning target. Oppositely, New Zealand bowlers will have to give it their best to take all of England's wickets. That's the only way they will be able to win the game.
Siddons backs Shakib as captain
Jamie Siddons, the batting coach of Bangladesh, believes Shakib Al Hasan would be a great captain for Bangladesh in Test cricket.
When Shakib became the captain of Bangladesh for the first time in 2009 in West Indies after then-captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was injured, Siddons was the head coach of the Tigers.
And Bangladesh are now all set to tour West Indies again with Shakib taking the role of the Test captain.
The former head coach and the current batting coach of Bangladesh said he found at least two positive things.
Read: Shakib Al Hasan's Captaincy Record in Test Cricket: An Overview
“There are at least two sides of benefits with Shakib being the captain,” Siddons said on Saturday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. “Shakib is a regular performer, and now he is the captain. So it will be easy for him to lead the team. And the other thing is it will be easy for Mominul (Haque) to focus on his batting.”
Shakib has previously led Bangladesh in 85 matches and won 33 of them. At Test level he has led the team on 14 occasions, winning 3 of them.
In the upcoming series against West Indies, Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.
Shakib Al Hasan's Captaincy Record in Test Cricket: An Overview
Mominul Haque met with BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon last week to inform him of his decision to step down as Test captain. The left-handed batsman was hesitant to remain as Bangladesh's Test captain despite the BCB chief's requests. With only one week until the West Indies tour, the BCB had to move fast to appoint a new Test captain. The BCB named Shakib as the new Test captain on Thursday (June 2) following a meeting with the ace all-rounder. Litton was also promoted to vice-captain. Shakib was a successful Test skipper for Bangladesh in the past. Shakib Al Hasan’s performance as Test captain is discussed in this article.
Shakib Al Hasan’s Test Cricket Career as Captain
Shakib made his Test debut against India in 2007, and two years later, in the second Test against the West Indies, he led Bangladesh for the first time in the absence of Mashrafe Mortaza, who was injured. The Shakib-led side triumphed by four wickets and sealed the series 2-0. After that, Shakib went on to captain Bangladesh for seven more games before Mushfiqur Rahim took over. In 2018, the ace all-rounder returned to lead Bangladesh and remained captain until 2019. He was released from the role following a one-year ban by the ICC in late October 2019.
Read Litton Das Reaches 12, Highest Ever Test Ranking in Career
Shakib Al Hasan has captained Bangladesh in 14 matches so far, and the team has won three and lost eleven. All of his victories as captain have come against the West Indies, two at home and one away. Interestingly, Shakib Al Hasan will captain Bangladesh again against West Indies, like he did the previous two times.
Country-wise, Shakib Al Hasan’s Test Captaincy Record
Team
Matches
Won
Lost
West Indies
5
3
2
Afghanistan
1
0
1
England
4
0
4
India
2
0
2
New Zealand
1
0
1
Zimbabwe
1
0
1
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Bangladesh vs West Indies Series 2022: Full Fixtures and Squads
Batting Performance of Shakib Al Hasan as Captain
Shakib Al Hasan has an exceptional battering record while captaining the team. Shakib is second only to Tamim Iqbal in terms of run scoring in the 14 games he has led for Bangladesh. Shakib has scored 918 runs in 27 innings as captain, with an average of 35.30. He has a century against New Zealand as captain.
Country-wise, Shakib Al Hasan’s batting performance as captain
Opposition
Innings
Runs
HS
Ave
West Indies
9
325
96*
40.62
England
8
202
96
25.25
New Zealand
2
187
100
93.50
India
4
75
34
18.75
Zimbabwe
2
74
68
37.00
Afghanistan
2
55
44
27.50
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Who Can Replace Mominul Haque as Bangladesh Test Cricket Captain?
Bowling Performance of Shakib Al Hasan as Captain
Shakib al Hasan's bowling record while captaining the team has been superb. He has taken the most wickets in the 14 matches he has led for Bangladesh. Shakib has 61 wickets in 26 innings as skipper, at an average of 28.77. He has four five-wicket hauls as captain.
Country-wise, Shakib Al Hasan’s bowling performance as captain.
Opposition
Matches
Wickets
BBI
Ave
West Indies
5
25
6/33
18.32
India
2
9
5/62
32.44
New Zealand
1
1
1/89
133.00
England
4
17
5/121
36.94
Zimbabwe
1
4
3/62
30.50
Afghanistan
1
5
3/58
24.40
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Is Mominul doing enough as Test Captain?
Bottom Line
One of the reasons Mominul Haque resigned as captain was because he couldn't focus on his batting due to the added pressure. Shakib Al Hasan's performance as a player while serving as skipper is outstanding. Shakib has a solid record with both the ball and the bat while captaining the Bangladesh Test team. Shakib has also led Bangladesh to the best winning percentage in Test cricket. Therefore, the BCB made the suitable decision in selecting Shakib Al Hasan as Bangladesh's next Test cricket captain.
Mitchell, Blundell combine to thwart England at Lord's
An unbeaten stand of 180 between Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell put New Zealand in control against England after two days of the first Test at Lord's Friday.
Coming together with their side at 56-4 – just 47 runs ahead – Mitchell and Blundell moved the Black Caps 227 runs ahead by stumps.
Mitchell ended the day on 97 not out, three short of a well-deserved century at the home of cricket, with Blundell 90 not out in an imposing total of 236-4.
Their partnership was an exemplary display of calm accumulation, with the pitch flattening out and the home attack unable to whip itself into action.
A day after 17 wickets fell, seven were added to the tally, and New Zealand looked like repeating their horrible start Thursday. Will Young, captain Kane Williamson, Tom Latham and Devon Conway all went out to nicks to leave their side 56-4 inside 23 overs.
Mitchell and Blundell then settled in for what could go down as a match-winning stay.
They shut down England's vastly experienced James Anderson and Stuart Broad and showed impressive debutant Matthew Potts that Test cricket was not quite as simple as he might have thought.
Potts removed Williamson for the second time in two days and took his match tally to six but was ineffective after lunch.
New captain Ben Stokes was expensive at more than five an over, and there was an inconclusive first look at the team's first concussion substitute Matt Parkinson.
Having raced down the motorway from Manchester to replace Jack Leach Thursday afternoon, the leg-spinner finally got his long-awaited chance and got a little bite from the pitch, but the batters' initial struggles to find their timing against him soon disappeared. Potts sent down 14 wicketless overs for 43.
England earlier climbed from 116-7 overnight to 141 all out, Tim Southee finishing with four wickets, and fast-bowling partner Trent Boult three.
The slender nine-run lead left England little margin for error, but Anderson, Potts and Broad once again set a superb tone by sharing the first four wickets.
The afternoon session finally saw the game revert to something approaching a regular Test match rhythm, as New Zealand dug in to add 90 for the loss of just one wicket, Conway's.
Mitchell cut and pulled well, showing enough intent to allow Blundell to find his feet at a quieter pace.
Stokes' introduction raised the run rate, despite some prodigious reverse swing, and when Parkinson finally got his hands on the ball, New Zealand were 90-4.
England's hunt for a breakthrough began to labour.
Blundell successfully played catch-up and beat his partner to the first half-century of the match, getting there in 101 balls with a compact square drive off Potts.
Mitchell did not have to wait long to follow, getting there with a nudged single off Broad, and it was increasingly apparent the game was being shaped by two cool-headed knocks.
There were pockets of activity, with five boundaries in the space of three overs as Mitchell took on Anderson and Blundell did the same to Broad, but it was the methodical manner and chanceless application that impressed most.
Also read: Stokes chosen as England test captain