Carse and Bethell lead England to impressive win over NZ

First Test, Christchurch (day four of five)

New Zealand 348 (Williamson 93) & 254 (Carse 6-42)

England 499 (Brook 171) & 104-2 (Bethell 50*)

England won by eight wickets; lead series 1-0

Scorecard

Brydon Carse and debutant Jacob Bethell led England to an impressive eight-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first Test in Christchurch.

Carse claimed three of the four second-innings wickets England required on the fourth morning to end with 6-42, his maiden Test five-wicket haul.

To go with the four he took in the first innings, the 29-year-old had match figures of 10-106, the first away 10-for by an England bowler since Monty Panesar in 2012, and first by a seamer since Ryan Sidebottom in this country 16 years ago.

Daryl Mitchell clubbed 84, adding 45 for the last wicket with Will O’Rourke, to drag New Zealand up to 254 all out.

That left England a target of only 104, which they reached inside 13 overs for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Bethell, the 21-year-old, hit the winning runs in his 37-ball unbeaten 50.

There was a concern for England when Ben Stokes pulled up during his fifth over, but the captain said he will be fit for the second Test in Wellington on Friday (22:00 GMT Thursday).

This was a much-needed win for England after three defeats in their previous four matches. It tips them into credit for 2024, now with eight wins and seven losses.

They were given a huge helping hand by the Kiwis, who dropped eight catches. That takes nothing away from a spirited and tenacious performance by an England side that had to be re-jigged following the injury to wicketkeeper Jordan Cox.

Ollie Pope stood in as keeper and made runs at number six, Bethell showed why England rate him so highly, Shoaib Bashir picked up wickets in the first innings after struggling on the tour of Pakistan and Carse is the find of the winter.

Chris Woakes enjoyed a rare away moment of success with crucial wickets on the third evening and England even managed a victory without relying on Joe Root, who was out for a duck in the first innings. Instead, Harry Brook made 171 to take his overseas average to 89, behind only Sir Don Bradman.

Stokes looked back to somewhere near his best as a batter, bowler and leader after a difficult period, so the injury was a worry, given his fitness history. He explained the abrupt end of his spell as a precaution over some stiffness in his back.

This is the fifth successive away tour where England have taken the first Test, yet they have gone on to win only one of those series – in Pakistan in 2022. Now they return to the Basin Reserve, scene of a heart-stopping one-run defeat in 2023.

When Carse was banned for historical betting offences earlier this year, he feared for his international career. Now he is England’s outstanding bowler of the winter.

He has filled the hole left by injured Durham team-mate Mark Wood. Not only was this the first away five-for by an England seamer since Wood in Hobart in early 2022, it was also Carse’s first in first-class cricket since April 2021, further strengthening England’s assertion over the different skills required for the highest level.

In a year where England have regenerated their pace attack, Carse has taken only three Tests to take an away 10-for, a feat never managed by legendary pair James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Carse is lively without being express. He troubles batters with bounce and awkward lengths. After New Zealand resumed on 155-6, Nathan Smith was pinned in front of leg stump and, in the same over, Matt Henry palpably leg-before to a full delivery.

When Stokes was forced out of the attack, Tim Southee slapped Gus Atkinson for two sixes, then picked out Root at deep mid-wicket.

Mitchell had 47 from 128 deliveries when O’Rourke arrived, but flicked a switch to take 37 off his next 38. England dropped the field, Mitchell farmed the strike, O’Rourke held up his end.

Carse was summoned once more and one Mitchell slap too many ended in the hands of Woakes at long-off.

After Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett were dismissed, the low-pressure chase was the perfect scenario for left-hander Bethell to demonstrate his talent. Smith was wiped for four fours in the same over.

Putting on a show, Bethell hooked Smith over square leg for six and, three balls later, sealed the match.

Just last month, New Zealand pulled off one of the greatest away triumphs by any team with their 3-0 win in India, only to experience a significant comedown with this slapdash performance.

Their first-innings total should have been higher than 348 and they had England 71-4 in reply. The drops were farcical and out of character. Brook was put down five times and played a match-defining innings.

This result pretty much ends New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final, leaving India, Australia and South Africa in contention.

Mitchell Santner, a hero of India, comes into the squad for the remaining two Tests. The hosts might ponder how to get batter Will Young, player of the series in India, back into their XI.

They also have a dilemma over Southee, who is due to retire after the last Test in Hamilton. New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker of all time was ineffective in Christchurch, at times treated with disdain by the England batters.

England skipper Ben Stokes on Brydon Carse: “I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up with Brydon [Carse] in my Durham days and I’ve always known his potential and his talent.

“So to see him come into this team and make an impact so early on is amazing. He’s an absolute workhorse and he’ll keep charging in all day regardless of whether conditions are in his favour or not.

“To see him get his rewards, walking off with six-for and 10 in the game is amazing.”

New Zealand captain Tom Latham: “Isolate the first two innings, that sort of surface, the position we were in, I was happy. We had our opportunities, on another day the catches go to hand and it would’ve been slightly different. That’s the sport we play.

“Some days it doesn’t fall your way. From our point of view, guys aren’t meaning to drop them, they are trying. Some days they catch them, other days it drops, that’s the game of cricket.”