Only Test, Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont (day one of four)
New Zealand 361-5 (94 overs): Blundell 142*, Ravindra 121; Adair 3-66
Ireland: Yet to bat
Ireland won the toss and decided to field
Scorecard
New Zealand recovered from a poor start to reach 361-5 on the first day of the four-day Test match against Ireland at Stormont.
Mark Adair took three wickets as the Black Caps slipped to 88-4 before centuries from Rachid Ravindra and Tom Blundell put the tourists in control.
Ravindra hit 142 while Blundell is 142 not out – the pair put on a 217-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
In the first meeting between the two sides in Test cricket, Ireland won the toss and decided to field first in sunny Belfast.
Heinrich Malan’s side, playing just their 13th Test match, enjoyed a superb morning session.
Adair bowled out Tom Latham in the first over as the New Zealand captain opted to leave a fast delivery, only to see the ball hit the stumps.
The second wicket fell in the sixth over as Devon Conway’s loose stroke from Adair was caught by Test debutant Liam McCarthy.
Two wickets from three balls then arrived later in the morning as Kane Williamson was trapped leg before for 39 by the impressive McCarthy.
Daryl Mitchell was next to go as he edged behind from Adair’s delivery to wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker, who caught it easily as New Zealand headed for lunch on 104-4.
The Black Caps responded in style in the afternoon session, led by Ravindra and Tom Blundell, who took the score to 214-4 by tea.
Ireland were left to rue a dropped catch from captain Andrew Balbirnie in that afternoon session as he failed to hold on in the slips from a Ravindra drive.
The fruitful partnership for the Kiwis continued into the evening session, with Ravindra registering a fifth Test match century with a fine six while Blundell then got his sixth Test century from 173 deliveries soon after.
After close to five hours without a wicket, Ireland finally cracked the partnership, with Ravindra caught by Tom Mayes from a Harry Tector delivery.
Blundell carried on with Dean Foxcroft (38) as New Zealand ended the first day in a healthy position.
“We got a really good start, the first hour was unbelievable. We set the tone with the second ball getting Tom Latham,” said McCarthy.
“New Zealand dug deep and they had a really good partnership and that’s the ebbs and flows of Test cricket.
“There’s not many better wickets to get than Kane Williamson than your first one and that was a really really good moment for my first moment in my Test cricket career.”
“The Test century was brilliant and it was special feeling batting with one of my best mates Tom Blundell,” added Ravindra.
Play will resume at Stormont at 11:00 BST on Thursday.
