The Kiwis have put up a fight, finishing Day One of the second Test against England on a respectable 291-7 at The Kia Oval. Glenn Phillips showed remarkable grit, remaining unbeaten on 49 as he weathered the storm from Jofra Archer's unplayable spell – one that left even the most seasoned batsmen looking rattled.
The background noise of the Cricket Regulator investigation into Ben Stokes has undoubtedly added an air of uncertainty to proceedings. But England's makeshift bowling line-up, sans Stokes, showed remarkable spirit and organisation on a flat pitch that failed to provide much assistance to either team. Jacob Bethell stole the show with a pair of wickets, including a somewhat fortuitous dismissal of Nathan Smith, while young Archer delivered a masterclass in short-form wizardry.
Archer's bouncers were almost impossible for New Zealand to deal with, particularly in the evening session when the Kiwis' batsmen looked shell-shocked. But Phillips – a man of unyielding courage – refused to back down, taking a blow to the glove that required attention from the physio and displaying incredible skill to weather the storm.
New Zealand will be left feeling frustrated that several of their batsmen failed to kick on after building promising starts, but Kyle Jamieson showed glimpses of his destructive potential lower down the order. As day two dawns, both teams will feel they have opportunities to gain control in a contest that promises much.
The action resumes at 11am BST tomorrow, with New Zealand looking to push for a commanding total and England seeking early breakthroughs to limit the damage.