England endured a disastrous start to their Test series with New Zealand when they were bowled out for just 58 – their sixth-lowest Test total.
In a continuation of their dreadful Ashes performances across the Tasman, England slumped to 27 for nine before Craig Overton’s unbeaten 33 at least carried them above their previous lowest total of 45.
Nonetheless, England were still dismissed in 20.4 overs and just 95 minutes at Eden Park in Auckland as captain Joe Root, the returning Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad were all out for ducks.
Alastair Cook was the first of England’s wickets to fall, dismissed by Trent Boult for just five
Boult celebrates with Kane Williamson (right) and other team-mates after dismissing Cook
Joe Root was then bowled by Trent Boult as England were reduced to 6 for 2 early in the match
The England captain can’t believe it after he is bowled by Boult without troubling the scorers
Trent Boult was celebrating again when he removed Dawid Malan, who’d scored just two runs
Malan was caught behind by wicketkeeper BJ Watling after edging Boult’s delivery
The five batsmen out for no score equalled an unwanted record.
New Zealand bowler Trent Boult was magnificent, taking six wickets for 32, while Tim Southee recorded figures of four wickets for 25 as they capitalised on swing-friendly conditions.
However, England’s batsmen revealed alarming technical deficiencies and shattered confidence following their 4-0 Ashes drubbing by Australia, with Mark Stoneman (11) and Overton the only players to get into double figures.
The tourists became only the fifth side to be bowled out inside the first session of a Test, which is being played in a day-night format with a pink ball.
Mark Stoneman was the fourth wicket to fall, caught by Watling off the bowling of Tim Southee
Ben Stokes, back in the England Test side, was the next to fall – also for a duck
The dismissal of Stokes left England floundering on 18 for five following a disastrous start
Tim Southee caught Jonny Bairstow off his own bowling as another player went for a duck
Bairstow was the third player out without scoring, with England now on 18 for six
Chris Woakes was then bowled by Trent Boult having added just five runs to the total
With Woakes gone, England had slumped to 27 for seven, short of their worst Test score
Alastair Cook was the first to fall, for just five, and Root quickly followed. Dawid Malan was dismissed for a mere two runs, followed by Stoneman to leave England floundering on 18 for four.
Things only got worse, with Stokes, back in the Test side with much fanfare following his altercation outside a Bristol nightclub in September, and Bairstow gone soon after with the score still on 18.
The quick-fire dismissals of Chris Woakes and Moeen left England on 23 for eight, and they looked destined to slump short of their lowest-ever Test score when Broad fell at 27 for nine.
Moeen Ali was the next to fall, clean bowled by Tim Southee, also for no score
Kane Williamson took a stunning one-handed catch at gully to remove Stuart Broad
The New Zealand captain’s catch was certainly a cause for celebration with England 27 for nine
James Anderson was the last wicket to fall after Craig Overton had top scored with 33
Thankfuly, Overton’s 33 spared them that indignity before James Anderson was the final wicket to fall.
The official England Cricket Twitter feed summed it up nicely when it simply posted ‘We’ve had a shocker’ and a link to the scorecard as cricket fans in the UK woke up on Thursday morning.
New Zealand soon passed England’s total in response thanks to a half-century by Kane Williamson, but Stuart Broad did gain his 400th Test wicket when he removed Tom Latham for 26.