New Zealand took a decisive lead in the two-part Test series, winning the first game by an innings and 65 runs. Though it doesn't contribute to their World Test Championship points, the win makes them nearly impossible to beat in this series and marks their seventh straight home series without defeat. The final showdown takes place this Friday in Hamilton, after which the team will head to Australia for three away Tests.
Starting January 24, 2020, New Zealand will host the Indian team for a comprehensive series involving T20s, One Day Internationals, and Tests. The tour will wrap up with a final Test match at Christchurch's Hagley Oval on February 29.
England's batting lineup failed to fire; despite Ben Stokes scoring 28 off 84 and Joe Denly putting up 35 from 142 balls, no one was able to produce a truly dominant innings.
The Black Caps secured their 1-0 lead thanks to a strong bowling effort, featuring Mitchell Santner's 3-53 and a brilliant 5-44 from Neil Wagner.
Although Trent Boult has been out for a while dealing with a rib injury, the dominant performance of the other bowlers will likely give captain Kane Williamson peace of mind.
England's poor shot selection proved costly, and they will likely regret the collapse on the second day that stopped them from putting up a competitive total.