Tailender Mark Wood’s entertaining 41 helped England to 303 all out in their first innings on the second day of the second and final Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston on Friday.
Dan Lawrence, 67 not out overnight, finished unbeaten on 81.
But the real impetus came from Wood, who started the day on 16.
Trent Boult, one of six changes to the New Zealand side following last week’s drawn series opener at Lord’s, led the Blackcaps attack with 4-85 from 29 overs.
England, who had been 175-6, resumed on their overnight 258-7 after opener Rory Burns had made a valuable 81 following his hundred at Lord’s.
Wood cover-drove left-arm quick Boult for four off just the sixth ball of Friday’s play.
It was the first of six boundaries Wood hit on Friday, including a pull off Mark Henry, with New Zealand departing from their successful policy of line and length swing bowling.
But a stand of 66 ended when he played on to a pitched-up delivery from Henry, with Wood having faced 80 balls.
England’s 288-8 became 289-9 when Stuart Broad fell for a duck, caught behind off Boult to give wicketkeeper Tom Blundell — one of six changes to the New Zealand team — his fourth catch of the innings.
Broad’s exit brought in James Anderson, with the No 11 receiving a huge roar from a crowd of some 18,000 on the occasion of his England record 162nd Test.
Lawrence, 71 not out when Anderson came in, lofted Neil Wagner over extra-cover for four to take England to 300.
But the innings ended soon afterwards when Boult, who missed the first Test after taking family leave following the end of the Indian Premier League, had Anderson lbw on review.
It was an encouraging return for Boult ahead of New Zealand’s appearance in next week’s inaugural World Test Championship final against India at Southampton.
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