ENG vs NZ: There Has Been A Good Vibe, I have Enjoyed The Positivity – James Anderson On Returning To England Test Side

England’s talisman James Anderson lavished praise on new head coach Brendon McCullum for inspiring and motivating the team during the first Test against New Zealand.

Senior England bowlers Anderson and Stuart Broad returned to the Test side for the three-match Test series against the Black Caps.

James Anderson picked six wickets on England return

Anderson gave the testament of his guile straightaway with early wickets of New Zealand openers Will Young and Tom Latham and finished 4/66 in the first innings.

New Zealand were bowled out for a paltry 132 but England failed to capitalise on the low score.

The hosts could manage a slender lead of nine runs in the first innings, the middle-order batting collapse once again came to haunt them.

James Anderson heaps praise on Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum

New Zealand pair of Daryl Mitchell (108) and Tom Blundell (96) threatened to post a massive lead as they stitched 195 runs for the fourth wicket.

It was Broad who broke the deadlock with three succesive wickets as England clawed their way back in the game. Anderson trapped Blundell in front of the wickets, denying the New Zealand wicketkeeper his third Test hundred.

England chased 278 riding on former captain Joe Root’s scintillating unbeaten 115 to clinch the first Test by five wickets at the Lord’s.

“That first day when we lost wickets, in years gone by we’d be too down about that and got worried and stressed. But the message from the coach and captain was that we’d bowled brilliantly, fielded brilliantly, started great with the bat but in Test cricket, you do have ups and downs,” Anderson said on the Tailenders Podcast.

“There are times where the opposition does fight back so let’s just park it and come back tomorrow and try as best we can.”

“There’s been a good vibe. I have enjoyed the positivity. We could have been ‘oh they’ve got a big partnership going, two guys nearing a hundred’ and you could feel down about it. But when the coach sends you home by saying he’s excited, you go to bed in a completely different mindset,” he added.

England will play New Zealand in the second Test at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham, starting on Friday (June 10).

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