Tom Blundell of New Zealand is congratulated by teammate Blair Tickner after Blundell scored a century against England on the second day of the first Test on February 17, 2023. Photo Credit: AP
Tom Blundell completed a flawless late-order century as the Black Caps’ last man at the crease on Friday to propel New Zealand’s fightback on the second day of the first Test against England.
Batting at No. 7, Blundell was on 82 when New Zealand’s ninth wicket fell and he was joined at the crease by No. 11 Blair Tickner, a fast bowler with a first-class batting average of 10 on Test debut.
Summing up the situation, Blundell hit the accelerator and hit 6, 4 and 4 off the bowling of spinner Jack Leach to reach 96. As Blundell looked on nervously, Tickner played an over off Ollie Robinson before Blundell worked the ball twice for two runs. Leach will complete his fourth Test century.
He was fearless, even when England took the second new ball as the floodlights kicked on at Bay Oval for the day-night match. Blundell departed on 138, before he was the last man out. Tickner made a brave first innings 3 off 24 balls and New Zealand finished on 306, just 19 runs behind England’s 325–9 declared.
“I came out in a tough situation and it was nice to come out with Devon Conway,” Blundell said.
“I didn’t really say much to Tickner. He took it upon himself and batted very well and did a great job.
As England batted again under floodlights, Tickner made a crucial breakthrough, dismissing Ben Duckett for 25 to end his first innings 84 from 68 balls. Blundell then caught Jack Crawley (28) off Scott Kuggeleijn and England were 79–2 at stumps, with Ollie Pope making 14 not out and Stuart Broad making 6 for 98.
When the second day’s play began, there seemed little chance of New Zealand coming close to England’s total: the home team having lost Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and Kane Williamson overnight in less than 90 minutes from stumps 37-3.
Devon Conway survived the pink-ball test under floodlights and ended the first day on 17 not out. England probably saw his wicket on Friday as the key to ensuring the purchase of a first innings lead, which they believed to be without Blundell.
When England captain Ben Stokes dismissed Conway for 77 on Friday with his left knee heavily bandaged, it looked to be the defining moment of the second day.
For historians, the more significant moment came when Stuart Broad dismissed nightwatchman Neil Wagner in the seventh over to claim the 1,000th wicket of his long-standing bowling partnership with James Anderson.
Broad, 36, and Anderson, 40, playing their 133rd Test since their debut in 2008, are now on course to go past Australia’s Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, who took 1,001 wickets in 104 Tests as the most wicket-takers in Test history. Made a great bowling pair.
Stokes showed no sign of pain as he smashed the pink ball down the middle of the pitch at the Bay Oval, testing the New Zealand batsmen with a series of short-pitched deliveries.
Conway lasted 229 minutes before he finally fell to Stokes when New Zealand were 158/6 and still 167 short of England’s total. He swat a head-high ball from Stokes and was caught at square leg.
With Blundell, Conway added 75 for New Zealand’s sixth wicket and when he fell, Blundell fought back and almost guided New Zealand to first-innings parity. The wicketkeeper-batsman has taken over from BJ Watling who played several important late-order innings for New Zealand. Friday’s was Blundell’s most important to date.