England’s Joe Root marked an unusual milestone during the first Test of the three-match series at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. In his 150th Test appearance, Root was dismissed for a duck on Day 2 after facing just four balls, becoming only the third player in cricket history to record a duck in their 150th Test. The rare feat places him alongside Australian legends Steve Waugh (vs. Pakistan in 2002) and Ricky Ponting (vs. England in 2010).
The Kiwis began the day at 319/8, with Glenn Phillips unbeaten on 41 and Tim Southee on 10. Phillips showcased resilience, bringing up a fifty in 77 balls. However, England’s bowlers quickly wrapped up the innings, with Brydon Carse dismissing Southee (15) and Will O’Rourke (0), leaving New Zealand all out for 348. Carse (4/64) and spinner Shoaib Bashir (4/69) led the bowling efforts, supported by Gus Atkinson, who took two wickets.
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In response, England had a rocky start. Zak Crawley fell for a 12-ball duck, followed by Test debutant Jacob Bethell’s dismissal for 10 off 34 balls, courtesy of Nathan Smith. Smith then clean-bowled Joe Root, sending England to 45/3. Ben Duckett managed to stabilize the innings briefly, scoring 46 off 62 balls before being caught at deep backward square by Devon Conway off Will O’Rourke’s bowling. At 71/4, England appeared in trouble.
The tide turned when Harry Brook and Ollie Pope joined forces. Their counter-attacking partnership added a crucial 152 runs, steering England to the 200-run mark in 48 overs. Brook reached his half-century in 65 balls with five fours and two sixes, while Pope brought up his fifty in 59 balls with seven boundaries.
Pope eventually fell for 77 off 98 balls, with Glenn Phillips taking a spectacular diving catch at backward point off Southee’s bowling. England stood at 222/5 when Pope departed.
Brook continued to dominate, bringing up his seventh Test century in just 123 balls, featuring nine fours and two sixes. He remained unbeaten on 132 off 163 balls, while skipper Ben Stokes contributed a solid 37 off 76 balls. Together, they added an unbroken 97-run stand, taking England to 319/5 at stumps.
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