Matty Potts makes dream start to England career against New Zealand
Matty Potts takes three wickets in dream start to his England career as New Zealand collapse to 39 for six at lunch after deciding to bat first at Lord’s
- New Zealand were reduced to 39 for six at lunch as England made perfect start
- Tourists won the toss and decided to bat first in the opening Test at Lord’s
- But debutant seamer Matty Potts took three wickets as New Zealand collapsed
- Recalled James Anderson claimed two scalps with Stuart Broad grabbing one
- The only concern for England was a concussion issue for spinner Jack Leach
Matty Potts took three wickets on a dream debut as England’s new red ball era started perfectly against New Zealand at Lord’s.
After the tourists won the toss and decided to bat first, they found themselves in the sorry depths of 39 for six at lunch with Durham seamer Potts the star of the show.
New England skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum couldn’t have scripted the first session of their partnership any better as their seamers tore New Zealand’s upper order apart.
Matty Potts marks taking the wicket of Daryl Mitchell in a dream start to his England career
Potts (right) took three wickets in the morning session and celebrates with captain Ben Stokes
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was Potts’ first victim in Test cricket for England
After recalled duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad softened the tourists up, 23-year-old Potts claimed the prize scalp of captain Kane Williamson with only his fifth delivery in Test cricket, caught behind by wicketkeeper Ben Foakes for just two runs.
That left New Zealand reeling on 12 for four and that became 27 for five when Potts forced Daryl Mitchell into playing on after he made 13 from 35 deliveries.
And Potts’ fine start to life with England continued when he bowled Tom Blundell for 14 for the sixth wicket.
Earlier, Anderson, clearly relishing his return to the fold after being dumped along with partner-in-crime Broad for the tour of the West Indies, removed both openers with the help of Jonny Bairstow.
Jimmy Anderson showed his class once again upon his return to the England Test side
Jonny Bairstow took a one-handed catch off James Anderson’s bowling to remove Tom Latham
England celebrate the early wicket of New Zealand opener Will Young on the first morning
Will Young lasted just two balls before he edged the veteran Lancashire seamer behind and Bairstow got down to pull off a stunning one-handed catch at second slip.
Bairstow then produced another grab – at the second attempt – to dismiss Tom Latham for one off Anderson’s bowling.
Not wishing to be left out, Broad took the third wicket to dismiss Devon Conway, with Bairstow pouching a more regulation catch this time as New Zealand were seven for three.
Broad took Conway’s wicket after New Zealand collapsed early on despite opting to bat
The only worrying moment for England in the morning session came when spinner Jack Leach had to leave the field after just over half an hour of play when he landed on his head and neck when stopping a boundary.
The England spinner was replaced on the field by Harry Brook but under the concussion protocols, England have called Matt Parkinson into their side for the remainder of the match.
But the morning session was just the lift England so desperately needed after a dismal run of just one win in their last 17 Tests, spanning five consecutive series defeats.
Jack Leach landed awkwardly while saving a boundary in the opening session of the first Test
Leach has symptoms of concussion and has been withdrawn from the Test against New Zealand
Stokes’ first act as the country’s 81st Test captain was to lose the toss, but everything else fell into place as ball dominated bat in the opening exchanges.
Stokes and McCullum were both clear that recalling Anderson and Broad was their first priority of their reign, overturning a controversial decision to drop the pair in the West Indies, and 39-year-old Anderson needed just seven deliveries to reopen his record tally.
Challenging Will Young with just enough swing from a full length, he took the outside edge and saw Bairstow leap into action at third slip, diving low to his left to pull off a one-handed stunner.
England have been weak in the cordon for some time, but Bairstow’s handiwork was flawless here. The Yorkshireman juggled his next attempt when Tom Latham nicked the metronomic Anderson, but he clung on at the second time of asking to make it two for two.
Stokes rushes to embrace Potts after he took the wicket of Tom Blundell, his third wicket
Not to be outdone for long, Broad was rewarded for a consistently attacking length when Devon Conway made it three in a row for the alert Bairstow as optimism surged around the old ground.
Having seen the seasoned duo set the tone, Potts then made the case for the next generation. The Durham seamer struck gold with his fifth delivery in the international arena, with Kiwi captain and star batter Kane Williamson edging low to keeper Ben Foakes to leave his side 12 for four.
Potts continued his impressive start and grabbed another two before the break, Daryl Mitchell (13) playing into his own stumps and Tom Blundell losing his off stump to one that nipped back.
The 23-year-old left the field with figures of three for eight in eight overs, a superb introduction.
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