Much of the talk before this first Test in New Zealand was of England’s new-found desire to bat time; to be like the more sensible walkers at the bottom of Mount Maunganui by setting out on the slow and steady path towards a delightful summit.
And so day one of their supposed reboot will have pleased the new head coach, Chris Silverwood, as he watched Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope stride off at the close. They were unbeaten on 67 and 18 respectively, having added a late flourish to some early spadework by the top order to see the total a healthy 241 for four from 90 overs.
There will have been mild disappointment that Joe Denly was not there instead of Pope. The No 3 had just ticked past four hours at the crease for 74 runs, mixing up dogged defence with some occasionally stylish stroke-play, only to fall to the second new-ball when wearily nicking behind off Tim Southee.
But with Stokes handed a late life on 63 by Ross Taylor fluffing a two-handed take above his head at first slip – and a slightly fortuitous 52 from Rory Burns earlier on – it was a day for Silverwood to be philosophical about such things.
New Zealand’s fine seam attack had pounded away for all but five overs and though at times one wondered if the orders of obduracy had gone too far – not least in an afternoon session that returned 60 runs for the loss of two wickets – only one of the batsmen can be said to have gifted his wicket.
This was their best, as it happens, with Joe Root taking 21 balls to get off the mark, just as some of the locals on the grass banks were starting to chirp, and then thick-edging his next delivery from the tireless Neil Wagner to second slip.
Root had been largely bogged down by Colin de Grandhomme, his nemesis with the ball during the World Cup final. The all-rounder is the slowest of the four Kiwi bowlers, operating around the 75mph mark, but by cannily wobbling the ball and using the odd off-cutter, he was also the pick with figures of two for 28 from 19 overs.
With Bay Oval drenched in spring sunshine and a pitch prepared in such a way that the ground’s Test debut wouldn’t be over in the blink of an eye, both captains were looking to bat first at the toss. Root called correctly and soon Dom Sibley was out there for his first innings in the whites of England.
After receiving his cap from fellow opener Mike Atherton in the pre-match huddle, Sibley made it seven England batsmen to hit their first ball in Test cricket for four when clipping Trent Boult through mid-wicket and looked comfortable in his own skin en route to 22 runs from his first 62.
His 63rd was the kind to make the analysts take note. Having watched Sibley score all his runs on the leg-side, Williamson brought on de Grandhomme at first change and during the early window of swing he persuaded his former Warwickshire teammate to play at one which shaped away, giving Ross Taylor a simple catch at slip.
It ended an encouraging first opening stand of 52 with Burns, albeit one that could have ended as early as the fifth over when Boult lightly grazed the edge of the senior man’s bat on 10 only for a stifled appeal – and Williamson’s resulting reluctance to send it upstairs – to hand him another chance.
Indeed fortune was with Burns until he eventually got nicked off to de Granhomme after lunch, having played and missed aplenty, edged Tim Southee between first and second slip on 37 and survived a reviewed lbw off Boult on 44 via umpire’s call.
Burns has long rationalised it is how many – not how – and though he struggled at times, including ducking into a short-ball from Wagner, his three hours at the crease spent blunting the new ball made it a case of job done for the opener.
