Watch: Jamie Porter gave the touring New Zealand side a jolt, razing their batting line-up on the third morning of their final warm-up before their first Test against England.
Playing for a First-Class Counties Select XI, Porter’s figures, at one point, read 5-6 from 4.1 overs, with the New Zealand XI collapsing to 81-8 to leave themselves in danger of defeat.
Up until that point, New Zealand’s warm-up progress had been smooth. Three half-centuries on the first day helped them put up 362-9, before a combined bowling performance, including three wickets for Ajaz Patel, ensured a first-innings lead of over 100.
They played out one over of their second innings on the second evening, with little sign of the carnage that was to follow. But Porter was straight into the action on the third morning, removing opener Will Young with the third ball of the day, the 29-year-old misjudging a leave and being given out lbw. Ben Gibbon claimed New Zealand’s other opener, Tom Latham, in the next over, but from then on it was the Porter show.
He claimed Kane Williamson for a duck, the New Zealand captain edging to first slip in his first innings of the tour, before removing both Devon Conway and Tom Blundell lbw in the space of three deliveries. A rare wicketless over followed, but one ball into his fifth over, Porter had his fifth wicket, with Colin de Grandhomme playing on to leave New Zealand in disarray at 19-6.
Some biffing from Tim Southee, who made 34 off 17 before falling to Liam Patterson-White’s left-arm spin, and lower-order contributions from Daryl Mitchell, Neil Wagner, and Kyle Jamieson lifted New Zealand to 102-8 at lunch, leading by 217 runs.
Porter has long been one of the most prolific county bowlers in England, with his first-class record in the country reading 385 wickets at 23.92. He earned a call-up to England’s Test squad during the 2018 series against India, but has struggled for selection in the Essex side this season, competing against the likes of Sam Cook, Shane Snater, and Australia overseas Mark Steketee.
Watch the Porter five-for to raze the New Zealand batting line-up below:
Take a bow, @jamieporter93 who ends his opening spell of the day with figures of 5-2-18-5 🫢
🇳🇿 Will Young
🇳🇿 Kane Williamson
🇳🇿 Devon Conway
🇳🇿 Tom Blundell
🇳🇿 Colin de Grandhomme pic.twitter.com/GXA8x7Bcgb— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) May 28, 2022
