NEW Worcestershire signing Michael Bracewell produced a stunning catch for New Zealand on Day 1 of the second test with England in Wellington.ย 

New Zealand, trailing 1-0 from the first test, started brilliantly, with Bracewell's outrageous catch the highlight of the early play.ย 

Bracewell has signed a deal that will bring him to New Road for the 2023 Vitality Blast campaign.ย 

It took little more than half-an-hour for the Kiwis to take Englandโ€™s top order out of the equation, Matt Henry marking his return with a double new-ball strike and Michael Bracewell chipping in a stunning catch at slip to remove Ben Duckett.

First to fall was Zak Crawley, nicking Henry behind with just two to his name, his latest unconvincing response to question marks over his place in the side. He has now been dismissed in single figures four times in his last six visits and has seen his Test average dip below 28 in the process.

Henry picked up another when his attacking off stump line proved too good for Ollie Pope, who sent a thick edge flying to Bracewell in the cordon. It was a sharp chance, safely taken, but paled in comparison to his next grab off Southee โ€“ throwing himself back and across to pluck the ball out of the air one-handed.

For New Zealand, everything that followed was downhill as Joe Root and Harry Brook turned the match on its head.ย 

The pair came together came together with the pressure on, England slumping to 21 for three after being put in on a green pitch at Basin Reserve, but turned the tables in style as they piled on an unbroken stand of 294 to reach 315 for three.

Brook was in staggering form as he notched up 184 not out, bullying the Black Caps attack in a domineering innings that included five sixes and 24 fours, with Root 101no at stumps.

In other international-related news, the England Lions pair of Josh Tongue and Jack Haynes have returned from their successful tour in Sri Lanka.

Batter Haynes finished with a total of 247 runs from five matches across all formats in his first taste of playing Lions cricket.

The 22-year-old hit two half centuries and had an average of 41.16 and a strike rate of 93.20.

Tongue finished second in the bowling averages after picking up 12 wickets in two appearances, including eight in the drawn second Test in Galle.