England take late NZ wickets with second Test balanced after day one

Jacob Bethell took two crucial wickets in the final session to leave England's second Test against New Zealand delicately poised after the opening day at The Oval on June 20, 2024. New Zealand, having been put into bat, closed the day on 291-7. Rachin Ravindra was the standout performer for the tourists, scoring 101 runs before being dismissed by James Anderson. Daryl Mitchell also contributed significantly with 72 runs, forming a 123-run partnership with Ravindra for the third wicket. Tom Hartley claimed the wicket of Kane Williamson for 18 runs early in the day. The home side's bowling attack, led by Anderson and Bethell, managed to take wickets at key moments to prevent New Zealand from building a larger total. Bethell's late double strike removed Mitchell and Tom Blundell for a duck, shifting the momentum back towards England.