Before Harry Brook and Joe Root delivered a defining stand that would go unbroken, the Black Caps had chances to dismiss both batsmen.
It wasn’t exactly a hard-luck tale — England deservedly reached stumps on day one of the second test in total control — but there were inklings thehosts’ plan was working.
Having helped reduce the tourists to 21-3 in the seventh over, Matt Henry continued to pose problems for a pair that would eventually compile a 294-run partnership.
But whether through an unfortunate umpiring decision, an edge that didn’t go to hand, or a misplayed shot that barely evaded the field, any opportunities were missed.
Brook and Root survived that initial examination and the Black Caps were never again able to sustain that same pressure.
Their unbeaten stand stood at stumps as England’s second-highest for any wicket against New Zealand, both having raised their bats after helping their side out of that early hole.
The ascent took England to 315-3 but Henry believed the Black Caps could climb back into the test if they repeated what worked on the opening morning — and, unlike on day one, maintained that standard.
“We implemented a couple of different plans, and when we did get it right and did what we wanted to do, we were good enough and able to create some pressure,” Henry said. “But we just weren’t quite able to do it from both ends for long enough.
“We got things right in periods but just couldn’t string it along enough to create that pressure. But we know that if we come back in the morning and fix those areas where we want to get a little bit better, we can get back in this fight.”
Matt Henry of New Zealand celebrates the wicket of Ollie Pope. Photo / Photosport
The way Brook in particular is batting, that seems like a big if. The 24-year-old ended the day boasting a better average than Bradman while also striking a whisker away from 100 in nine extraordinary test innings.
The No 5 has only twice been dismissed for fewer than 50, but before he reached a new high score of 184no, Henry almost provided a new low.
From the fifth ball he faced, Brook was jammed and shouldered an edge through the gap between third slip and gully. Given that gap had recently been filled by a flying Michael Bracewell — his spectacular one-handed grab getting rid of Ben Duckett — that life showed the margins at play.
“He’s in fantastic form and obviously played some incredible shots,” Henry said. “But we did show in periods how we need to bowl to him. He obviously countered that, but we just have to make sure that we’re better for that little bit longer.”
Those fine margins were again clear after Henry’s straight delivery struck Root when the former skipper was on 31.
Henry had already unsuccessfully pleaded for an lbw on Root’s first ball, as the bounce in the Basin pitch saw New Zealand lose a review. But this second shout was much closer and, with DRS showing it shaving leg stump, Root would have been gone had Rod Tucker initially adjudged it out.
That was about all the Black Caps had to shout about as Brook and Root eventually made batting look easy.
It was at times a similar story in the first test — not that Henry saw much while focusing on dad duty — and the Black Caps came into this match a bowler short. But with Will Young bolstering the batting at the expense of a fourth seamer, the returning Henry backed the personnel available.
“I definitely stand by this bowling attack,” he said. “There’s no question about our group and this attack we’ve got. We know that if we put the ball in the right areas then we can get the job done.”
