Devon Conway hits 200 for New Zealand as they post a first innings score of 378 – with England on 111-2 after day two of first Test

England have fought back strongly to leave the first Test firmly poised after Devon Conway’s blistering 200 for New Zealand.

Resuming on their overnight score of 246-3, New Zealand got stuck into the experienced pair of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, before Mark Wood arrived with some rapid deliveries.

It was Wood that made the breakthrough as he bounced out Henry Nicholls for a usefully made 61.

BJ Watling, who announced he would retire from cricket following the England tour, made just one before he edged to Dom Sibley at second slip.

Ollie Robinson then continued his impressive debut as he trapped Colin De Grandhomme lbw for a duck, before Mitchell Santner picked out Anderson at mid-off – off the bowling off Wood.

Robinson then picked up his fourth wicket, but had Zak Crawley to thank after pulling off a superb diving catch to dismiss Kyle Jamieson.

Conway then went on to his double century, and in doing so became only the seventh man to make 200 on debut – and the second in 2021 after Kyle Mayers’ 210 not out for the West Indies in Bangladesh.

Conway’s mammoth knock came to an end after he was run out, after attempting a needless second run, and with that ended New Zealand’s innings on 378, a good comeback from England after the tourists lost seven wickets for just 90 runs.

England’s first innings starts poorly

New Zealand wasted no time with the ball, and Jamieson started with a superb ball that struck Sibley on the pads.

The Warwickshire man reviewed the decision, but DRS showed it was clipping the bails, and the decision stood to leave the hosts 4-1 inside just four overs.

Sibley’s duck also meant that he now had a sixth-successive single figure score in Tests.

Tim Southee swung the new ball perfectly and forced a poor shot out of Crawley which saw him nick behind to Watling for just two.

Rory Burns and Joe Root solidify the hosts

It looked as if it would be another abject England batting display, but Rory Burns and talisman Joe Root steadied the ship.

Burns, who was recalled after being dropped during the end of the India tour, made a hard-fought half-century his first in nine innings.

Root at first struggled with the pace of De Grandhomme and suffered a painful blow at one point but, being the warrior that he is, powered on. 

The pair stuck in and got England to stumps at a competitive score of 111-2, to leave the match firmly in the balance.

Day three coverage resumes at 10:30 on Sky Sports Cricket on Friday.

By Josh Mann