England thump New Zealand by 267 runs in first Test, Anderson-Broad pick four wickets each in final innings

England continue to impress with their approach in red-ball cricket with their latest win overNew Zealand in the first Test by 267 runs. The Day and Night Test at the Mount Maunganui saw the legendary duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad making headlines for becoming the most successful bowling pair in Test cricket history with their figures in the second innings. Chasing a mammoth 394, New Zealand’s back was already against the wall after they were left reeling at 28 for five at one stage with Broad returning with four wickets before stumps on day three.

Down and out Kiwis didn’t really have a chance of achieving the target on day four. Test cricket’s most-prolific pacer James Anderson did thedamage by picking three tailenders in Southee, Kuggeleijn and Wagner to also bag four wickets to his name in the Test. With seven wickets in the first Test at an astonishing average of just above seven, Anderson racked up his wickets tally to 682 in this format.

Earlier, both Anderson and Broad overtook the veteran Aussie duo of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath (1001) as the pair with most wickets while playing together in Tests.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Meanwhile, England captain Ben Stokes -who himself entered history books during the match by surpassing England’s Test head coach Brendon McCullum as the player with most sixes in this format, jokingly asked everyone to stop calling England’s out-of-the-world approach as ‘Bazball’ as it might upset Brendon.

ALSO READ:ICC Women's World T20: Despite Renuka & Mandhana's brilliance England beat India by 11 runs

The left-handed batter not only showered praises on Anderson and Broad, he also talked highly of the youngster Harry Brooks, whom he thinks is cut for greater things in life.

“You need to stop calling it (Bazball) that, you're going to upset Brendon, Stokes said jokingly. “Another great performance, very clinical with the bat and very clinical with the ball. When you look at the bowling attack that we've got with this pink ball especially under lights ... we executed everything as well as we wanted to. When you've got the likes of Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson in your bowling attack, it's always going to be tough for any opposition with the bat in hand,” Stokes added.

Heaping praises on Brook, captain Stokes said, “Brooky is just carrying on from his amazing series in Pakistan. He's a fantastic talent and he's going go on to be a global superstar. The senior guys with the bat have to take a lot of credit for allowing these young guys to go out there and express themselves and show the world what they are all about.”

The second Test of the series will begin from February 24th at the Basin reserve in Wellington.