WHANGAREI (New Zealand): England completed preparations for the first Test against the Black Caps with mixed fortunes in a drawn warm-up match against New Zealand ‘A’ in Whangarei on Sunday.

After New Zealand batted first at the Cobham Oval and declared at 302 for six, England slumped to five for 105 before a middle-order revival by Joe Denly (68) Ollie Pope (88) and Jos Buttler (116) lifted the total to 405.

At stumps on the third and final day, New Zealand were 169 for eight in their second innings with Jofra Archer taking three for 34 and Sam Curran three for 42.

The first Test of the two-match series gets underway at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui from Thursday.

Brief scores:

NEW ZEALAND ‘A’ 302-6 declared (G.D. Phillips 116, T.A. Blundell 60, H.D. Rutherford 59; J.C. Archer 2-58, B.A. Stokes 2-64) and 169-8 (G.D. Phillips 38; J.C. Archer 3-34S.M. Curran 3-42); ENGLAND 405 (J.C. Buttler 10, O.J. Pope 88, J.L. Denly 68, J.C. Archer 41; S.C. Kuggeleijn 3-46, D.J. Mitchell 2-34, B.M. Tickner 2-63).

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2019