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England's Fisher and Archer strike against New Zealand after Stokes saga / Photo: Glyn KIRK - AFP
England's Fisher and Archer strike against New Zealand after Stokes saga
Matthew Fisher and Jofra Archer each took a wicket as England looked to put the Ben Stokes saga behind them in the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval on Wednesday.
New Zealand, after losing the toss, were 75-2 at lunch on the first day.
England dropped captain Stokes and Gus Atkinson after the pair broke a team curfew following the 115-run win in the first Test at Lord's.
The pair stayed out in a late-night drinking session which reportedly ended in a physical confrontation involving a Saracens rugby player.
England made five changes, with three debutants in batsman Jordan Cox, wicket-keeper James Rew and fast bowler Sonny Baker.
Ollie Robinson, who took seven wickets at Lord's, was ruled out through injury while Archer returned following his IPL commitments to spearhead England's pace attack.
Rew was a late call-up after Jamie Smith withdrew on Tuesday following the birth of his second child.
A new birth had been behind New Zealand opener Devon Conway's 23,000-mile (37,000-kilometre) round trip to Wellington and back in between Tests.
But Fisher, who was in for dropped spinner Shoaib Bashir, had Conway caught behind by Rew for nine.
He was playing in only his second Test, four years after his debut.
Henry Nicholls has been given the unenviable task of replacing Kane Williamson at number three after the man considered arguably New Zealand's greatest batsman announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect following the series opener.
Baker, 23, hit impressive speeds of 88 mph (142 kph) in his first over and the Hampshire quick thought he had Nicholls caught down the legside, but England's review confirmed umpire Nitin Menon's original not out decision.
Nicholls might have been run out for five when Tom Latham set off for a single, but Josh Tongue's side-foot kick missed the stumps.
Nicholls brought up New Zealand's fifty with an uppercut four off Archer.
Archer did get the second wicket England wanted to help justify stand-in skipper Joe Root's decision to field first on a green-tinged pitch when he had Latham brilliantly caught by Jacob Bethell, diving high to his right at gully, for 27 off 75 balls.
Nicholls was 23 not out at lunch, with Rachin Ravindra unbeaten on 11.
D.Fraser--SMC
