New Zealand vs England: Michael Atherton's day one reaction as Shoaib Bashir stars ⭐️

England's decision to bowl first in Christchurch, New Zealand was logical, given the historical trend of wickets falling on day one at Hagley Oval. Despite the expectation of seam movement, it was surprisingly the spinner Shoaib Bashir who excelled, taking four wickets, while England's seamers appeared underdone. England's captain, Ben Stokes, showed a strong belief in Bashir, emphasizing the importance of a spinner in the team, despite the conditions.

England's Bowling Strategy

• 00:00:13 England's decision to bowl first was a standard practice in Christchurch at Hagley Oval. Historically, many wickets fall on the first day. While England expected swing bowling to be effective, the pitch didn't offer the anticipated movement. England's captain, Ben Stokes, often prefers a spinner in the lineup, regardless of conditions.

Shoaib Bashir's Performance

• 00:00:50 Shoaib Bashir's performance was unexpected, with him taking four wickets, despite the conditions being generally unhelpful for spinners. New Zealand wasn't playing a specialist spinner in this match. Bashir received significant backing from England's captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum and has been established as their number one spinner.

England's Seamer Performance

• 00:04:30 England's seamers weren't at their best, potentially due to a lack of preparation. They had limited bowling practice before this series, especially Chris Woakes, who didn't bowl much in Pakistan due to the conditions. Among them, Stuart Broad was considered the most effective, while Ben Stokes faced challenges with his footwork and was relatively expensive when bowling.