6:04 PM IST, 1:34 PM LOCAL TIME: LUNCH ON DAY 2!!! “Test cricket rewards patience... but sometimes one long partnership quietly steals the entire morning.” New Zealand walked into Day 2 already in control at 361/5, and by lunch, they had stretched that dominance brutally. The visitors declared on 490/8 after 119 overs, powered by Tom Blundell’s marathon 186 and Dean Foxcroft’s sparkling 98 on debut. Ireland then walked out needing calmness... and instead lost two wickets for zero inside the very first over of their innings. Yes. Zero. Nathan Smith produced a dream opening short spell, and suddenly New Zealand carried all the momentum again. So who won the first session? New Zealand. Easily. With the bat first. Then immediately with the ball too.

So, where did New Zealand begin this morning? At 361/5 after already surviving Ireland’s brilliant new-ball burst on Day 1. Tom Blundell resumed unbeaten on 142. Dean Foxcroft, playing his debut Test, resumed on 38. The question was simple - could Ireland break this partnership early before it completely flattened the game? The answer came slowly... and painfully for the hosts. Blundell brought up his 150 off 256 balls with 19 boundaries and two sixes, batting with enormous patience against both seam and spin. Foxcroft, meanwhile, looked increasingly comfortable, completing his maiden Test fifty off just 73 balls with three fours. New Zealand crossed 400 in 105.1 overs, and the sixth-wicket stand reached 100 in 171 balls. Suddenly, Ireland’s excellent Day 1 morning felt very far away.

So how did Ireland bowl in this session then? Honestly... with effort, but very little reward for long stretches. Thomas Mayes remained disciplined, conceding only 52 from his 23 overs despite going wicketless. But the older ball stopped offering enough movement, and Blundell plus Foxcroft simply settled into control mode. Drinks arrived with New Zealand cruising at 431/5 in 111 overs as Blundell raced toward 200 and Foxcroft toward a dream debut hundred. The sixth-wicket stand eventually swelled past 150 runs in 217 balls. And how did New Zealand finish things off? Ruthlessly. Tom Blundell kept batting beautifully before finally falling for a magnificent 186 off 292 balls with 22 fours and three sixes, dismissed by Reuben Wilson at 461/6.

Nathan Smith then played a quick cameo of 17 off 13 balls before being run out brilliantly through substitute Jake Egan and Lorcan Tucker. And then, Ireland finally got a huge wicket through Andy McBrine, who removed Foxcroft for a heartbreaking 98, caught by Reuben Wilson. Two short. Debut nerves? Maybe. But what an innings. Calm. Positive. Important. New Zealand declared at 490/8 in 119 overs, leaving Ireland staring at a massive challenge. But the real drama began immediately after. Nathan Smith took the new ball and destroyed Ireland in one over. Stephen Doheny was trapped lbw for a duck on the second ball. Cade Carmichael then nicked to Tom Latham on the final ball of the same over. Ireland 0/2. Brutal. Absolute chaos. Lunch arrived with Ireland crawling to 20/2 in 6 overs, still trailing by 470 runs with Andy Balbirnie unbeaten on 11 and Harry Tector on 8.

So what should we expect in the second session now? Ireland desperately need a long partnership. Simple as that. Balbirnie and Tector now carry the responsibility of calming a dressing room that has already seen two ducks in the first over. New Zealand’s seamers will keep attacking hard because conditions still favour movement. Nathan Smith already looks dangerous with 2/7 from 3 overs, while Zak Foulkes kept things tight from the other end too. The pitch itself still seems decent enough for batting once set, as Blundell and Foxcroft proved earlier. But surviving the opening burst? That remains the real examination. Ireland are already far behind. Another quick collapse here... and this four-day Test could suddenly start moving very fast.

The action for the second session will begin in a bit, so... HOP ON!!!