AUCKLAND: An 80-run stand by Kane Williamson and Tom Latham easily guided New Zealand to a first-innings lead after England crashed to just 58 all out in a dramatic start to the first Test on Thursday.
England were left red-faced in the pink-ball Test when they were skittled for their sixth lowest in Test history in just 94 minutes at Auckland’s Eden Park.
At dinner, New Zealand were 88 for one with Williamson on 59, his 27th Test half century, and Latham on 26.
After England’s batting disaster against the swing and seam bowling of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, New Zealand slowly accumulated runs against a tight but not overly threatening attack.
Williamson played 11 dot balls at the start of his innings before he stroked Stuart Broad through mid-off to the boundary, and then played through 12 more scoreless deliveries before adding to his total.
Latham has faced 108 balls for his 26 and survived a review when an lbw appeal was turned down.
The indications from the England camp had been that Chris Woakes would open the bowling with James Anderson, but after their batting disaster skipper Joe Root opted for the more experienced Broad.
Broad, though, was denied an early wicket when Root dropped Jeet Raval at third slip in the fourth over.
But the damage was limited when Anderson claimed the New Zealand opener caught behind for three soon after.
After 20.4 overs, the time it took for England to lose all 10 wickets, New Zealand were 36 for one.
They overtook England’s total at the start of the 30th over when Williamson drove Anderson to the cover boundary.
New Zealand only used two bowlers, with Boult taking a career-best six for 32 off 10.4 overs and Southee finishing with four for 25.
In the first day-night Test to be played in New Zealand, England threatened the record lowest Test innings of 26, set by New Zealand on the same ground against England in 1955.
England were 23 for eight before a Craig Overton boundary took them to 27 when the ninth wicket fell.
Overton batted boldly to finish unbeaten on 33 and more than doubled the England total in a 31-run stand with Anderson for the final wicket.
