Tom Blundell has in the last year transformed from a test batsman marked by tenacity into one capable of brilliance.
Both qualities were on display as the 32-year-old compiled a new high score of 138 during day two ofthe opening test, first keeping the Black Caps in the fight before landing a few solid blows of his own.
Blundell’s fourth test century in waning sunshine lifted New Zealand within 19 runs of first-innings parity at Bay Oval. A good night then became even better as debutants Blair Tickner and Scott Kuggeleijn struck under lights to leave a once-dominant England on 79-2 at stumps.
With the Black Caps earlier slipping to 83-5 in response to 325-9, the tourists had been sniffing an opportunity to wrap up their opponents’ innings as quickly as they curtailed their own.
But after Devon Conway provided the early resistance with 77 and Blundell later built on that platform with a perfectly paced knock, the hosts gave themselves a chance of becoming the rare side to deny Brendon McCullum’s men.
If the Black Caps do prevent their former captain from earning a 10th win in 11 tests as coach, much will be owed to their wicketkeeper capping a magnificent 12 months with the bat.
Since the start of the first test against South Africa a year ago today, Blundell has averaged 69.9 from 13 innings, adding a second hundred to accompany six 50s in that span.
In the first 24 innings of his test career, Blundell appeared a worthy successor to BJ Watling, accumulating an average of 31.6 and sharing in several battling stands down the order.
His worthiness is now in no doubt, while there were a few more pivotal partnerships in Mount Maunganui as the Black Caps recovered from a position of peril earlier in the afternoon.
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After James Anderson had on the opening night reduced the hosts to 37-3, the Black Caps resumed in sunnier conditions much more suited to batting, but soon saw two more men depart.
Nightwatchman Neil Wagner performed his duty well, scoring 27 from 32, but the same couldn’t be said of Daryl Mitchell, who shouldered arms to Ollie Robinson and was trapped for a duck.
New Zealand were in a spot of trouble as Blundell arrived but, as Conway surpassed 50 for the 10th time in 13 tests, the home side progressed to 138-5 by tea.
With the sixth-wicket stand at 75 and both batsman in the type of touch to suggest that number would become much more significant, Conway was undone by transparent ploy from the English captain.
Ben Stokes seemed to be fooling few when he put three fielders square of the wicket and repeatedly banged in the ball short to test Conway’s resolve. The opener initially experienced success defusing the tactic with a measured pull, but soon unwisely attempted to paddle one around the corner from outside off and picked out square leg.
Michael Bracewell’s dismissal for seven wasn’t much better, though his unseemly drive to mid on came three balls after being struck on the helmet.
After the Black Caps surpassed the duration of England’s innings - reaching their 59th over on 195-7 - they opted to accelerate. Kuggeleijn added quick runs in a 53-run stand with Blundell, and after his dismissal was soon followed by that of Tim Southee, Blundell launched.
Tom Blundell ramps one to the fence against England. Photo / photosport.nz
The Wellingtonian took 14 from one Jack Leach over to reach 96 and was soon soaking up the standing ovation he so thoroughly deserved. There was more applause when he became the last man out, caught and bowled by Anderson to end a priceless final-wicket stand of 59 from 71, his counter-attack complete.
That scalp saw Anderson and Stuart Broad register a combined 1001 wickets while playing together in tests, pulling level with Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath atop that leaderboard. But Blundell’s job had been done, and the value of his innings was reinforced as New Zealand’s bowlers fended off England’s fast start to make a couple of imperative breakthroughs.
After Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley had raced to 50 from 52 deliveries, a painful possibility loomed that Bazball was impervious even to the challenge of a pink ball under lights. But the following over, Tickner found the right line to nick out Duckett, before Kuggeleijn’s fourth ball saw Crawley feather an edge to Blundell.
The only blemish in the final session came when Kuggeleijn and Blundell allowed a sky-high chance from nightwatchman Broad to fall between them - but the wicketkeeper was likely to be forgiven.
