At Wellington's Basin Reserve, New Zealand is hosting England in the second Test match. The three-match series is 1-0 in favour of the visitors. When New Zealand captain Tom Latham asked the Three Lions to bat first, Zak Crawley was hoping to get some early runs. Crawley chose to take Tim Southee on in the opening over of the game because England frequently tries to fool their opponents with their quick attacking approach.
In the final ball, Crawley had a chance and hit Southee for a maximum by smashing him clean over. Crawley is just the second batter after Chris Gayle to knock a six in the opening over of a Test match with this one.
Crawley's unique record
The 26-year-old became the first batter in history to smash a six off a fast bowler in the opening over of a Test innings. In 1959, Arthur Milton held the record for the English batter to score the earliest six in Test cricket when he hammered one in the second delivery of the second over.
Crawley's heroics were short-lived, as Matt Henry dismissed him after just 17 runs. Harry Brook saved his nation from collapsing against the Kiwis once more. The 25-year-old continued his outstanding Test form, hitting straight hundreds.
To stop the New Zealand bowlers from causing more damage, Brook and Ollie Pope joined a stunning partnership. Pope only managed to add 66 runs to his total, falling short of Brook's impressive 123 runs. Will O'Rourke, Nathan Smith, and Matt Henry are the Kiwi bowlers who have taken two wickets apiece thus far in the game.