James Anderson and Stuart Broad, two of cricket’s greatest bowlers, achieved another milestone on Friday, helping England maintain its lead over New Zealand on day two of the first Test in Mount Maunganui.
The Black Caps labored to 138-5 at tea in the day-night Test at the Bay Oval before Broad bowled Neil Wagner for a combative 27 and Ollie Robinson trapped Daryl Mitchell without scoring.
The home team, who began at 37-3 after England dominated day one with their quick-fire 325-9 declared, tried to get a foothold with opener Devon Conway unbeaten on 72 and Tom Blundell 21 not out.
The veteran England seamer and his longtime new-ball partner Anderson gained another illustrious entry into cricket history with Broad’s dismissal of Wagner, which put an end to a gripping duel between the two.
In the 133 Tests they have played together over the course of 16 years, the tandem has already claimed 1,000 Test wickets.
With 997 wickets between them at the start of the Test, Broad, 36, and Anderson, 40, need just two more victims to break the record of 1,001 held by Australian greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, who did so in 104 matches together.
The 1,000-run milestone was only attained after Wagner, who had already hit Broad (1-48) for back-to-back sixes off the previous two deliveries, was duped by a slower ball.
The tourists had few opportunities when Mitchell was out when he shouldered arms to a Robinson (2-27) in-ducker, which was followed by an uninterrupted 55-run partnership between Conway and the wicketkeeper Blundell.
Left-hander Conway scored a double-century in his Test debut against England at Lord’s 18 months ago, and New Zealand will be hoping he can replicate that performance.
