- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR0.2 Magic, absolute magic! This one pitches outside off and swings back in, viciously, to jag right into the top of off-stump. Latham caught shouldering arms and he has to walk back. Only that four next to his name today 4/16.1 How has McCarthy caught this! He's at midwicket, and he just leaps to his right, full stretch, and snares this with both hands. Blinder. Was a poor ball, full and on the pads. Conway, head hung in disbelief, has to walk back early 21/221.5 big lbw shout, and the finger goes up! Maiden Test wicket for McCarthy, and what a scalp it is! Full and slanting into middle and off. Nips in a little and Williamson, falling across, plays all around it. Gets pinned on the pad and umpire Rod Tucker sends the former Kiwi skipper on his way. Massive, massive wicket for the hosts! 85/377.1 And Rachin has sold his wicket down the river here! Was on a length, a little too outside off and absolutely there to be hit. He swats this right to deep midwicket, diving in to collect a superb scatch. Might have skidded on the pitch just a little more than expected, ball closer to the bottom of Rachin's bat than his middle. He walks back after a superb century. 303/522.1 nicked and gone! Mitchell back in the shed too, and Ireland in control now! Fullish in the sixth stump channel and this leaves the batter late. Mitchell, taking a step down, goes feeling for it and feathers it through to the keeper. Ireland upbeat; NZ, in a spot of bother now! 86/4113.5 taken this time, and there will be no double hundred for Blundell! Zipped in on a length on middle and off. Blundell advances, trying to heave it over long on. Drags it a little, though, and Humphreys, stood at deep mid wicket, judges the high ball to perfection. Top knock but Blundell will have to wait for his maiden double ton in Test cricket! 461/6118.6 top-edged, and caught at short fine leg! Foxcroft falls two short of a hundred on Test debut, and NZ declare their innings too! Given a tinge of air on a fullish length on off. Foxcroft looks for the sweep again but cannot get on top of the bounce. Skews off the top-edge and short fine leg takes a smart catch while back-pedaling. NZ happy to declare at 491-8, but it is heartbreak for Foxcroft on debut, who falls just two short of a brilliant hundred! 490/8117.6 lbw shout, not given! Slowed up on a length outside off. Foxcroft advances and swings at it wildly. Misses it and the ball pings into his front pad. Might have been spinning too much. Gets called through for the single too and the run-out might need checking. Ooh, this could be close. Run-out appeal at the batter's end, with Smith the batter in question. The bails are dislodged and Smith is short at that moment, but the third umpire has to decide if the ball hit the stumps or if Tucker's gloves disturbed the furniture. Third umpire takes a look and reckons it is the ball that has made contact. Smith has been run out, and Foxcroft remains on 94! 486/7Extras27 (b 2, lb 19, nb 3, w 3)TOTAL490/8d (119 Overs, RR: 4.11, 542 minutes)Did not bat: BV SearsFall of wickets: 1-4 (Tom Latham, 0.2 ov), 2-21 (Devon Conway, 6.1 ov), 3-85 (Kane Williamson, 21.5 ov), 4-86 (Daryl Mitchell, 22.1 ov), 5-303 (Rachin Ravindra, 77.1 ov), 6-461 (Tom Blundell, 113.5 ov), 7-486 (Nathan Smith, 117.6 ov), 8-490 (Dean Foxcroft, 118.6 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB MR Adair 20 6 66 3 3.3 0 0 T Mayes 23 9 52 0 2.26 0 0 R Wilson 25 2 89 1 3.56 0 3 L McCarthy 24 2 130 1 5.41 3 0 AR McBrine 22 2 99 1 4.5 0 0 HT Tector 5 0 33 1 6.6 0 0
Current Run Rate
CRR
4.06
Last 10 Ov (Run Rate)
Last 10 Ov (RR)
31/2 (3.1)
Current Run Rate
CRR
4.06
Last 10 Ov (Run Rate)
Last 10 Ov (RR)
31/2 (3.1)
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR0.2 thumped on the pad, and Doheny is on his way! Fullish on middle and off, and this seems to shape away late. Doheny is opened up like a deck chair and plays down the wrong line. Rapped on the back pad, and Rod Tucker raises his finger after a bit of contemplation. Smith with an early wicket to rock Ireland! 0/16.6 through the gates! Nagging Test-match length on a fourth stump line. Balbirnie gets forward to defend but leaves a wee gap between bat and pad. Enough for the ball to sneak through and clip top of off stump! 26/30.6 edged and gone! Two in the over, and Ireland have slipped to 0-2 in the first over! Length ball in that probing corridor just outside off. Bowled from wide of the crease too, which means the batter is forced to play at it. Does so without much conviction and the ball floats off the outside edge, with Latham gobbling it up at second slip. Ireland in all sorts early! 0/29.5 the procession continues! Foulkes does go full. A ball that originated way outside off but the inswing brings it onto the stumps' line and leaves Tector missing a defensive shot. Hit him right in front of middle and the umpire raises his finger. Was that sliding down leg with that kind of wild swing? Guess we'll never know... 38/68.1 given! Campher must go for a first-ball duck! Full ball originating outside off but darting inwards. Campher pressed forward to defend, but it hit him on the front leg. Umpire was quick to raise his finger. Campher must walk. 34/48.5 fullish ball angling down legthat's a fifth wicket for Smith! How quickly he has claimed a five-for! A maiden five-wicket haul for the speedster! Fullish ball originating outside off and enticing Tucker to get forward for a checked drive. Like the Balbirnie dismissal, the delivery moves in, goes through the small gap available, and leaves the stumps shattered again 34/538.4 the short ball breaks the stand! And Smith adds a sixth wicket to his name. Short ball angling into leg and Adair is also backing away. He gets his bat near his face and tries to swat it uncomfortably away. But it takes the shoulder of the bat, and pops up for Blundell to grab from behind 154/741.2 oh the plan has worked! Tickner tempts Mayes into a leg-side pull with a short ball outside leg stump. Hit well, but straight to Sears at deep square leg who has to take a forward dive to complete the catch 165/844.3 nine down! Length ball outside off and McCarthy throws his hands at this, trying to drive. The slash goes hard but straight to Williamson in the slip cordon 179/944.6 Ireland are all out for 179! Wilson gets a short ball, a stinker, as the ball hits his glove and then his helmet before popping over to the slip cordon. McBrine remains unbeaten on 73. NZ also enforce the follow on 179/10Extras33 (b 16, lb 12, nb 5)TOTAL179 all out (45 Overs, RR: 3.97, 211 minutes)Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Stephen Doheny, 0.2 ov), 2-0 (Cade Carmichael, 0.6 ov), 3-26 (Andy Balbirnie, 6.6 ov), 4-34 (Curtis Campher, 8.1 ov), 5-34 (Lorcan Tucker, 8.5 ov), 6-38 (Harry Tector, 9.5 ov), 7-154 (Mark Adair, 38.4 ov), 8-165 (Thomas Mayes, 41.2 ov), 9-179 (Liam McCarthy, 44.3 ov), 10-179 (Reuben Wilson, 44.6 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB NG Smith 14 3 40 6 2.85 0 2 ZG Foulkes 11 3 32 1 2.9 0 0 BM Tickner 8 1 40 1 5 0 3 BV Sears 8 1 27 2 3.37 0 0 DJ Mitchell 3 0 12 0 4 0 0 D Foxcroft 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
- BATSMENRB4s6sSR9.1 nicked and gone, and Balbirnie punches his bat in frustation! Fullish outside off and the perfect length to invite the drive. Balbirnie cannot resist the temptation and goes searching for it without much foot movement. The ball nips away enough and grazes the outside edge. Blundell does the rest, and Tickner has broken this promising opening stand! 42/113.3 has that carried?! Looks like it might have, and Carmichael has to go! Full on middle and off, and this seems to nibble away having threatened to come in with the angle. Carmichael plays the original angle and tries to work to leg but all he manages is an outside edge that is snaffled up at second slip. Tickner has two! 57/2Extras5 (b 4, w 1)TOTAL65/2 (f/o) (16 Overs, RR: 4.06)Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Andy Balbirnie, 9.1 ov), 2-57 (Cade Carmichael, 13.3 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB NG Smith 4 0 19 0 4.75 0 0 ZG Foulkes 3 1 16 0 5.33 0 0 BM Tickner 5 2 14 2 2.8 1 0 BV Sears 4 1 12 0 3 0 0
Match Details
Toss
Ireland , elected to field first
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
11.00 start, Lunch 13.00-13.40, Tea 15.40-16.00, Close 18.00
Match days
27,28,29,30 May 2026 (4-day match)
Umpires
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Close of Play
- day 1 - New Zealand 1st innings 361/5 (TA Blundell 142*, D Foxcroft 38*, 94 ov)
- day 2 - Ireland 2nd innings 65/2 (ST Doheny 36*, T Mayes 4*, 16 ov)
Match Notes
- TA Blundell: 150 off 256 balls (19 x 4, 2 x 6)
- D Foxcroft: 50 off 73 balls (3 x 4)
- New Zealand: 400 runs in 105.1 overs (634 balls), Extras 23
- 6th Wicket: 100 runs in 171 balls (TA Blundell 33, D Foxcroft 58, Ex 9)
- Drinks: New Zealand - 431/5 in 111.0 overs (TA Blundell 179, D Foxcroft 66)
- New Zealand: 450 runs in 112.6 overs (681 balls), Extras 26
- 6th Wicket: 150 runs in 217 balls (TA Blundell 56, D Foxcroft 86, Ex 11)
- Innings Break: New Zealand - 490/8 in 119.0 overs (ZG Foulkes 0)
- Lunch: Ireland - 20/2 in 6.0 overs (A Balbirnie 11, HT Tector 8)
- Ireland: 50 runs in 11.3 overs (71 balls), Extras 10
- Drinks: Ireland - 84/6 in 19.0 overs (AR McBrine 19, MR Adair 19)
- 7th Wicket: 50 runs in 65 balls (AR McBrine 24, MR Adair 19, Ex 8)
- Ireland: 100 runs in 22.5 overs (141 balls), Extras 17
- AR McBrine: 50 off 64 balls (9 x 4)
- 7th Wicket: 100 runs in 131 balls (AR McBrine 50, MR Adair 37, Ex 13)
- Tea: Ireland - 139/6 in 32.0 overs (AR McBrine 50, MR Adair 37)
- Ireland: 150 runs in 37.6 overs (232 balls), Extras 23
- Innings Break: Ireland - 179/10 in 45.0 overs (AR McBrine 73)
- Innings Break: Ireland - 0/0
- Ireland: 50 runs in 10.6 overs (66 balls), Extras 0
- End Of Day: Ireland - 65/2 in 16.0 overs (ST Doheny 36, T Mayes 4)
- New Zealand: 50 runs in 14.4 overs (89 balls), Extras 7
- Drinks: New Zealand - 51/2 in 16.0 overs (KS Williamson 21, R Ravindra 19)
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 80 balls (KS Williamson 18, R Ravindra 31, Ex 3)
- New Zealand: 100 runs in 29.5 overs (180 balls), Extras 8
- Lunch: New Zealand - 104/4 in 31.0 overs (R Ravindra 45, TA Blundell 10)
- R Ravindra: 50 off 87 balls (6 x 4, 2 x 6)
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 105 balls (R Ravindra 19, TA Blundell 32, Ex 2)
- New Zealand: 150 runs in 40.5 overs (248 balls), Extras 10
- Drinks: New Zealand - 161/4 in 44.0 overs (R Ravindra 66, TA Blundell 44)
- TA Blundell: 50 off 81 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 6)
- 5th Wicket: 100 runs in 165 balls (R Ravindra 39, TA Blundell 58, Ex 6)
- New Zealand: 200 runs in 51.3 overs (312 balls), Extras 14
- Tea: New Zealand - 214/4 in 58.0 overs (R Ravindra 85, TA Blundell 74)
- 5th Wicket: 150 runs in 274 balls (R Ravindra 60, TA Blundell 84, Ex 6)
- R Ravindra: 100 off 175 balls (10 x 4, 3 x 6)
- New Zealand: 250 runs in 70.3 overs (426 balls), Extras 14
- TA Blundell: 100 off 173 balls (15 x 4, 1 x 6)
- 5th Wicket: 200 runs in 311 balls (R Ravindra 74, TA Blundell 121, Ex 7)
- New Zealand: 300 runs in 76.5 overs (464 balls), Extras 15
- Drinks: New Zealand - 303/5 in 77.1 overs (TA Blundell 126)
- New ball taken at 80.1 overs
- New Zealand: 350 runs in 89.6 overs (543 balls), Extras 19
- 6th Wicket: 50 runs in 85 balls (TA Blundell 15, D Foxcroft 33, Ex 4)
- End Of Day: New Zealand - 361/5 in 94.0 overs (TA Blundell 142, D Foxcroft 38)
Match Coverage
All Match NewsBlundell, Foxcroft and Smith give New Zealand vice-grip on Ireland Test
Blundell and Foxcroft helped New Zealand make 490 before Smith's six for helped them enforce the follow-on
Ravindra finds Test groove in face of a new challenge
There will likely be tougher examinations ahead but Ravindra had to work hard to lift New Zealand out of trouble
Ireland opt to bowl; Matt Henry ruled out of Test with injury
Ireland handed debuts to three seamers while allrounder Dean Foxcroft made his Test debut for NZ
Ireland host rare home Test as New Zealand seek red-ball rhythm
This will be the first ever Test between the two countries, who have both had little red-ball practice lately
'A great little refresh' - Ravindra on leaving IPL early and spending time in NZ before UK tour
Despite spending the IPL on the bench, Ravindra is confident about hitting the ground running in the UK





