The Black Caps have made a perfect start to their test summer, beating England by an innings and 65 runs at a sun soaked Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui.
The task was simple at the start of the final day for the home side: take the remaining seven English wickets on a pitch that was starting to show some real life for the bowlers. Paceman Neil Wagner took up the mantle of chief destroyer, claiming five for 44 in a tireless display.
Joe Denly was his first victim as he tried to get out of the way of a rising delivery that clipped his glove, flying through to a great catch from BJ Watling. Earlier, Colin de Grandhomme had got rid of English skipper Joe Root with a soft catch by Tom Latham at gully.
Tim Southee then removed the dangerous Ben Stokes with a bit of luck, the New Zealand-born all rounder chopping a wide delivery back onto his stumps.
From there, Wagner toiled away to get rid of the last four batsmen, Ollie Pope going to a sensational catch by Mitchell Santner. Jos Buttler lost his off stump after leaving an in swinging delivery when Wagner got his hands on the new ball.
A 59-run ninth wicket stand between Jofra Archer and Sam Curran was admirable but ultimately fruitless for the English, with Archer holing out to third man and then Stuart Broad getting caught plum in front LBW to end the test.
It was one of the most comprehensive wins you’d ever hope to see from the Black Caps on home soil. They only had to bat once, produced a stunningly gritty double century by BJ Watling and great back up from Santner, who scored his first ever test century.
The second test starts on Friday at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
NZ v England, first test day five:
England first innings: 353 all out (B Stokes 91, J Denly 74, T Southee 4-88)
Second innings: 197 all out (N Wagner 5-44, M Santner 3-53)
NZ first innings: 615/9d (B Watling 205, M Santner 126)
Result: NZ win by an innings and 65 runs