England defeats New Zealand by eight wickets

In the opening Test match against New Zealand, Brydon Carse bowled England to a decisive victory, solidifying his reputation as a budding star in Christchurch. In his first series, Carse attracted attention against Pakistan, but a 10-wicket haul in Christchurch demonstrated the full scope of his match-winning potential.

On day four at the Hagley Oval, the Durham seamer destroyed Kiwi resistance with a devastating six for 42 after recording figures of four for 62 in the first innings. He left the tourists with a light chase of 104 after taking three of New Zealand's final four wickets. That was barely enough for Jacob Bethell to join in, as the 21-year-old scored the winning run and reached 50 not out to give his debut the ideal ending as England easily won by eight wickets.