New Zealand have made the perfect start to their tour of England after wrapping up a 66-run victory in their opening match against Somerset at Taunton on Monday. The Black Caps started the final day of the four-day match needing another four wickets to win as Somerset resumed on 142 for six in pursuit of 344 to win.
They made an immediate breakthrough when Scotland all-rounder Josh Davey fell to the second ball of the day by Doug Bracewell, who finished with three for 62. New Zealand would have hoped to have wrapped things up promptly after that but the in-form James Hildreth had other ideas.
The former England Lions captain turned his overnight 62 into his third century of the season during an eighth-wicket stand worth 72 with Craig Overton, which was finally broken when Overton (25) stepped on his stumps as he attempted to turn spinner Mark Craig for another boundary.
Craig, who had figures of five for 34, then brought Hildreth's counter-attack to an end when he had the 30-year-old caught behind by BJ Watling for 115, which came off 135 balls and included 17 fours and a six. That was not the end of the Somerset fight though, as number 10 Tim Groenewald clubbed five sixes and two fours in a quickfire 47 to give the New Zealanders a brief scare.
However, his entertaining knock came to an end when he became Craig's third victim of the morning as Somerset were dismissed for 277, leaving the New Zealanders victorious with over two sessions to spare. The Kiwis are back in action with a four-day game against Worcestershire at New Road, starting Thursday, before the first of two Tests against England starts at Lord's on May 21.
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