New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell laments the “small moments” that were lost during the first Test in Mount Maunganui but maintains that there is no difference between his squad and England.
England will look to clinch the series against New Zealand when the second Test commences in Wellington on February 25. England continues their red-hot run of form under skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum’s leadership, as top knock by Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, and clinical bowling by veteran pace duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad helped the side clinch their first Test win on New Zealand soil for the first time in almost 15 years, defeating Kiwis by 267 runs at Mount Maunganui on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in two-match series. “If you looked into that third innings, I think we had them six down for 230-240 – I’m not sure of the exact numbers – but if we had taken a couple of quick wickets, the game could have been a lot different,” Mitchell said to a sports channel.
“So, for us, it’s actually not too far away. It’s sticking true to who we are as Kiwis and Blackcaps, and what’s worked for us for a number of years now. Yeah, we are missing a couple of small moments now, which is disappointing, but we also know that’s the nature of Test cricket, and it’s not always going to go your way, and it can be a bloody hard game at times. But we also know we are not too far away,” he added.
One of those small moments was when New Zealand let England escape with 374 runs in their second innings after they had fallen to 237 for 6. When the reverse sweep caught Joe Root for the second time in the Test at the start of day three’s tea, England’s innings could go out of hand.