New Zealand vs England, 1st Test - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

On a pitch which kept getting flatter and flatter, Brydon Carse was the point of difference between the two teams. He bowled tireless spells and kept chipping away, eventually finishing with 10 for 106. New Zealand came into the series knowing that they couldn't afford any slip-ups if they were to make it to the #WTC2025 final, but they have been dealt a big blow in that quest here. They'll now have to win the remaining two Tests and then hope for some luck coming their way. The two teams will be back at the Basin Reserve on Friday for the second Test and we'll be back with coverage of each and every ball. For now, cheers and bye..

Ben Stokes | England captain - Very good, very happy with the?way we fought the entire week. We were under pressure on the second day, 40 for 3, to go from then and get to a very likeable lead was good. You need a bit of luck on the way (on Harry Brook's innings), but you need to make the innings count when the opposition drops catches. He's an incredible player, an incredible batter who constantly looks to put the pressure on the opposition at all times. Amazing, I've known Brydon since?his Durham days, know his potential, to see him perform so well is amazing. He always gives his best with the ball and at all times. Chasing those sort of targets can be difficult, but everyone saw how we went about chasing them. Bethell (Jacob) has played in this manner in the white-ball format and he backed himself to score quickly. (On his batting and injury) I found myself in a tricky?place, put in a partnership with Brook, and the way the tail played, we have a pretty long batter order and it worked nicely. I hurt my back, but it was more about managing, and I had a heavy workload with 20 overs. But I'm fine and should be good to go for the second game. We'll decide upon the team combination ahead of the next game.

Tom Latham | New Zealand Captain: We were pretty happy with our position (1st innings), we had our opportunities. Another day all the catches would’ve gone to hand, guys were not meaning to drop catches. Happens sometimes, that’s cricket. Hopefully we can do better next time. You always want more, had to build some partnerships. We had some but would be nice to extend them. They have some quality players who put you under pressure. For everyone it’s about trying to contribute as best they can, I’m no different. We all keep working hard on producing runs and wickets. Guys will be working hard and hopefully we can come back hard in Wellington. From our point of view it’s always about staying level in any way we can. We’ll certainly be working hard on areas we need to improve on.

Brydon Carse | Player of the Match - Very proud with the outcome today, to win as a team is very satisfying, we were thrown certain challenges, but we stayed on with the plans and won as a team. Everyone was chipping in, conversations with Stokesy on the field placings and everything came off. The surfaces in Pakistan were different - some pace and bounce which suited my style of bowling. Me and Gus (Atkinson) have a good understanding, we like to bat and I said to him that I edged him with the number of sixes.?

Stats by Roshan Gede

Most runs in 4th innings in Test cricket
1630 - Joe Root
1625 - Sachin Tendulkar
1611 - Alastair Cook
1611 - Graeme Smith
1580 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Highest SR in a 50-plus score on Test debut
192.50 - 77*(40) - Tim Southee (NZ) vs ENG, Napier, 2008
135.13 - 50*(37) - Jacob Bethell (ENG) vs NZ, Christchurch, 2024
125.71 - 88(70) - Luke Ronchi (NZ) vs ENG, Headingley, 2015
111.32 - 59(53) - Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) vs SA, Centurion, 2020
107.47 - 187(174) - Shikhar Dhawan (IND) vs AUS, Mohali, 2013

Highest SR in a calendar year (min. 1000 runs)
90.80 - Virender Sehwag in 2010 (1422 runs)
88.08 - Ben Duckett in 2024 (1042* runs)
85.84 - Virender Sehwag in 2008 (1462 runs)
82.66 - Tillakaratne Dilshan in 2009 (1097 runs)
81.90 - David Warner in 2014 (1136 runs)
81.85 - David Warner in 2015 (1317 runs)

Least overs taken to complete a 100-plus Test run-chase
12.4 - ENG vs NZ, Christchurch, 2024 (target: 104)
18.4 - NZ vs BAN, Christchurch, 2017 (target: 109)
19 - WI vs ENG, Headingley, 1995 (target: 126)
19.3 - WI vs NZ, North Sound, 2012 (target: 102)
19.5 - SA vs NZ, Hamilton, 2012 (target: 101)

Highest run-rate in a successful 100-plus Test run-chase
8.21 - ENG vs NZ, Christchurch, 2024
6.82 - WI vs IND, Kingston, 1983
6.78 - WI vs ENG, Headingley, 1995
6.60 - PAK vs IND, Karachi, 1978
6.19 - PAK vs IND, Lahore, 1978
6.03 - ENG vs PAK, Karachi, 2022

England have now won the first Test of five consecutive series (two home and three overseas). Their last defeat in a Test series opener was in the Ashes 2023 (at Edgbaston).

14:50 Local Time, 01:50 GMT, 07:20 IST: ?Tom Latham has marked his home stint as full-time New Zealand's captain with a loss. They were defending a rather modest total of 103, but they would have been confident considering they had defended 147 against India in Mumbai not so long ago. But the conditions were completely different - that was a confident team with the series in their bag and on a pitch that was spicy, here, it had flattened out and they had to face the brunt of England's bazball attack. Zak Crawley capped a poor match with scores of 0 and 1, but Ben Duckett was in a real hurry. He made a 18-ball 27 that set the base for the chase with Bethell and Root providing the finishing touches. Truth to be told, this Test was won yesterday when England first ensured a big first-innings lead of 151 and then sliced through New Zealand's middle-order with the semi-old ball. 10 wickets for Brydon Carse, whose hit the deck bowling suited the surface and he was probably the difference between the two teams. We'll be back for the presentation shortly..

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, 1 run, there's the 50 and there's the win for England, they go 1-0 up in the 3-match series, short and at the stumps, pulled through mid-wicket for a single. Bethell marks his Test debut with a confidence boosting half-century

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, 2 runs, short and wide of off - Bethell used Smith's pace and then lapped it over backward point, comes back for the second, scores are level and Bethell's one short of his 50 as well

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, no run, another bouncer from Smith, this is pacy as well - Bethell drops his wrists as he swivelled and let it go

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, SIX, massive, England are 3 runs away now, banged in short and at the left-hander, Bethell swivelled across and then thumped the pull over square leg, didn't bother to keep it down and sent it a long way

Drinks are on the field now with England in sight of going 1-0 up

William ORourke to Root, no run, banged in short and at the stumps, Root arches back and then tries to ramp it over the keeper, beaten by the bounce

William ORourke to Jacob Bethell, 1 run, back of a length and just outside off - dabbed behind square on the off-side for a run, England's target is down to 9 runs

William ORourke to Root, 1 run, short of a length and angling into the pads, clipped behind square on the on-side for a single