At the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, Tom Blundell scored an incredible 138 runs for New Zealand in the current Test match against England. With the help of the wicketkeeper-century, the batter’s country was able to cut England’s first-innings lead to just 19 runs.
Blundell has now scored a century in day-night Test cricket, making history as the first wicketkeeper-batter to do so. International pink-ball cricket competitions began in 2015 with teams competing against one another during daytime Test matches.
Red-ball Tests are more common, yet there were 20 pink-ball Tests played before current New Zealand vs. England match, and no wicketkeeper-batter managed to score a hundred before Tom Blundell.
Blundell scored 138 runs off 181 balls while batting at No. 7 for New Zealand in the first innings. His innings had a respectable strike rate of 76 and included 19 fours and a six. The best individual score by a wicketkeeper in day-night Test cricket is currently Blundell’s 138.
Tom Blundell made headlines with the bat
The Blackcaps were 83/5 at the end of 27.3 overs when Blundell stepped out to bat. When half of the Kiwi team returned to the hut, the deficit for the team was still 239 runs.
Devon Conway and Blundell worked together to steady the New Zealand inning. 75 runs were accumulated by the pair for the sixth wicket. Following Conway’s ejection, Blundell and the tailenders helped the squad surpass 300 points.
He was the final New Zealand batsman to be dismissed. When New Zealand’s score reached 306, James Anderson caught and bowled him.
At the end of the day’s play, England scored 79-2 and currently have a lead of 98 runs. At the beginning of Day-3 Ollie Pope and Night watchmen Stuart Broad will take the crease for England tomorrow.
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