England holds New Zealand to 291-7 on first day of second Test
BBC Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 17, 2026, 6:19 PM
Last updated Jun 17, 2026
On June 17, 2026, England started strongly on the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, limiting the visitors to 291-7. Captain Joe Root's side, missing Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson due to a nightclub incident, chose to field first after winning the toss. New Zealand's Tom Blundell scored 51, while Glenn Phillips remains not out on 49. England's bowlers, including debutant Sonny Baker with 2-63 and Jacob Bethell with 2-8, managed to control the scoring despite some dropped catches from the New Zealand batting order. The match continues with England yet to bat.
- •New Zealand scored 291-7 at the close of play.
- •Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson are absent from the England team.
- •Joe Root captained with five changes to his side.
- •Sonny Baker took 2-63 in his Test debut.
- •Jacob Bethell claimed two wickets, including two late dismissals.
- 6:19 PMBBC Sport — England make good start despite Stokes' absence
- 6:14 PMYahoo Sports — England made good start despite Stokes' absence
"England attempt to move on from the Ben Stokes controversy with a solid opening day of the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
"England attempt to move on from the Ben Stokes controversy with a solid opening day of the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
Sources
External links- BBC SportJun 17, 2026, 6:19 PMEngland make good start despite Stokes' absence
England attempt to move on from the Ben Stokes controversy with a solid opening day of the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
- Yahoo SportsJun 17, 2026, 6:14 PMEngland made good start despite Stokes' absence
England attempt to move on from the Ben Stokes controversy with a solid opening day of the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
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