Shoaib Bashir keeps England in touch against New Zealand with four wickets – after Kane Williamson shows his class in Christchurch

Four wickets for Shoaib Bashir allowed England to stay in touch with New Zealand on a fluctuating opening day of this three-Test series.

After kicking off on a blistering day in Christchurch, the New Zealanders closed on 319 for eight, a total that centered on a typically classy 93 from the returning Kane Williamson and a spirited late 41 not out from Glenn Phillips.

And England were forced to regret dropping the dangerous Phillips before scoring, with Ben Stokes giving away a difficult chance by diving to left mid-on after Gus Atkinson’s bowling.

It was just one of many moments when the tourists made fun of themselves in front of a packed house of about 8,000 people – evenly divided, it seemed, between locals and visitors. When the sun shines, Hagley Oval looks beautiful.

But England were less pristine, conceding 35 extras, including 11 in no-balls – seven by Atkinson alone – and 10 in wides, while no one noticed that Rachin had beaten Ravindra Stokes to Ollie Pope in the last over before lunch. Two series of overthrows reinforced the feeling that they were not quite on their game.

So it was fortunate that Bashir continued to chip on a surface green enough to convince Stokes to make the first use of it after winning the toss. Not all his wickets were works of art: Ravindra pushed a full toss to midwicket, while Matt Henry was caught at long-on.

A typically classy 93 from Kane Williamson helped New Zealand end the day at 319 for eight

Glenn Phillips produced a spirited 41 that fell short, allowing Stokes to spoil a drop before he had scored

But four wickets for a 21-year-old off-spinner off a delivery on the first day, which was expected to help the seamers before they settled down, felt like a bonus.

For much of the day it had looked as if Williamson would mark his return from the groin injury that ruled him out of New Zealand’s historic win in India with another Test hundred – and make England pay for their decision to bowl .

When Williamson and Daryl Mitchell took the hosts to 199 for three shortly after tea, England were in danger of running out of ideas, with Brydon Carse hitting the ball into a well-spread field – a familiar tactic in times of need.

It’s sad for New Zealand that the trap worked. From the 10th episode of the final session, Mitchell – on 19 – took on a short session and only managed to outpace Harry Brook by a third man so well positioned he almost had a long stop.

With Williamson still there, New Zealand were in control. But when Atkinson found extra bounce outside off-stump, Williamson – tempted by the width – couldn’t control his cut shot, allowing Zak Crawley to complete the catch at gully.

If that only confirmed his greatness in home conditions, where he averages 67, his misjudgment made it 227 for five, opening the door for England. Four balls later Stokes dropped Phillips, although England did not have to wait long for their next breakthroughs.

First Tom Blundell failed to get over a cut-off Bashir, and was caught at backward point by Atkinson for 17. Then debutant Nathan Smith turned England’s off-spinner straight to Joe Root at square leg slip, and left for three: 252 for seven.

Phillips and Matt Henry rallied to make 46 before Bashir took his fourth, Henry launching it high to Duckett at long-on for 18. But Tim Southee stuck with Phillips all the way to the ground, on a day when no one could claim the bragging rights . rights.

Gus Atkinson had struck in the second over by catching Devon Conway off his own bowling

Brydon Carse took the wicket of Daryl Mitchell when England seemed to have run out of ideas

Williamson collected points with ominous ease, but ultimately fell seven short of a century

Bashir’s four wickets off a delivery on the first day, which was expected to help the seamers, felt like a bonus

Earlier, Atkinson had struck in the second over of the series, with an excellent return catch low to his left after Devon Conway had miscued a drive. But England’s seamers struggled to find their length, and Tom Latham repeatedly hammered them to the ground during an aggressive 47 that ended when Carse had him caught behind by Pope – ahead when he aimed over a full delivery.

If England had asked for a review in the final match before lunch, Ultra-Edge would have told them that Ravindra – then aged 20 – had been given a narrow edge on a defensive strike at Stokes.

The damage did not appear to be too extensive. With Ravindra on 34 and a total of 130, Bashir somehow convinced him to hit a low full-toss straight to Crawley at midwicket – a tame end to an elegant innings.

All the while, Williamson was racking up runs with ominous ease, playing the ball characteristically late and happily waiting to be offered something loose. On days like these, there is an inevitability to his batting that got him dismissed – seven short of what would have been a 33rd Test century.

His departure energized England as much as New Zealand, only for Phillips to hold out as the wickets fell around him.

The average first innings score in 13 previous Tests at Hagley Oval is 288. If New Zealand can extend their total to 350 or beyond, they will be very much in the game.