ENG vs NZ | 1st Test Day 1: Ton-up Devon Conway, disciplined Henry Nicholls put Blackcaps in front

A magnificent debut ton from opening batsman Devon Conway and an unbeaten partnership between him and Henry Nicholls has put New Zealand in the driving seat of the first Test match at Lord’s.

Devon Conway batted with superb discipline around his off stump and did not get rattled even as England asked the fiery Mark Wood to test his height and backfoot game. 

The opener got hurt on few occasions but was equally to task on most of the challenges thrown by the England bowling attack that struggled for penetration on a pitch that did not offer much assistance. He became the 12the Blackcaps batsman to score a debut century in Test cricket.

England would have hoped for a comeback after the fall of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in a short period of play but Henry Nicholls led riposte from another end. Nicholls played a perfect second fiddle role to combat England bowling line up that had both James Anderson and Stuart Broad in it after a long long time. 

Anderson provided England with probably the most prized wicket of Kane Williamson when the Blackcaps skipper played far too late at an incoming delivery and the ball trickled on to his stumps.

Both England and New Zealand fielded debutants in the first Test and the first sequence of action began from Robinson and Conway's arsenal. Conway got New Zealand going with some crisp shots while England’s bowling debutant Ollie Robinson started off his career and opened England’s account with the wicket of Tom Latham after the Blackcaps duo had put on a 58-run partnership. 

He came back in the afternoon session to trap an uncomfortable-looking Ross Taylor in front of the wicket.

The next man in, Nicholls batted with exemplary patience to not allow England any more breach as Conway continued on his merry way punishing boundary balls and pushing his nose towards the three-figure. The moment came with a boundary that came in perfect presentation of Conway’s flair throughout the day as he deposited Robinson through the square leg boundary with a wristy whip off his legs.

The pitch appeared to be flat overall except for a phase in the afternoon session when all England bowlers particularly Broad found some help. He changed his angle of attack to around the wicket to sow seeds of doubt in the batsmen’s minds but the surface was not that helpful for him to have a full go with all his tricks.

England did not pick any spinner and Joe Root trusted his off-spin to produce respite to the pace quartet, however, the move did not pay dividends as England started to look ragged in the field in the face of a resilient and solid partnership between Nicholls and Conway.

Joe Root would be hoping for an early breakthrough tomorrow with the second new ball or else they will be in for a long day in the field and a challenging few days ahead with the bat in hand against a bowling attack comprising of Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Kyle Jamieson and also a spinner in the form of Mitchell Santner who can come in handy in the last innings if the sun continues to shine in London over the next four days.