Rory Burns hails Dan Lawrence’s ‘flair’ and ‘impressive’ shot-making after superb 67 not out

A stylish half-century from Dan Lawrence dug England out of a hole on a topsy-turvy opening day of the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston.

In front of a crowd of more than 15,000 — one of the Government’s Covid pilot schemes for large-scale events — the Essex batsman finished on 67 not out to help England rebuild after left-arm seamer Trent Boult had helped reduce them to 175 for six shortly after tea.

Lawrence put on 47 with Olly Stone and an unbroken 36 with Mark Wood to lift the total to 258 for seven by stumps, and allay fears over the length of England’s tail. He will begin this morning eyeing up a maiden Test hundred.

Dan Lawrence’s 50 got England out of trouble on day one of the second Test with New Zealand

The Essex batsman (right) ended the first day with a unbroken 36 with Mark Wood (left)

The day had begun with captain Joe Root and his side lining up on the outfield wearing T-shirts to reiterate their anti-discrimination stance following a week in which the players’ historic use of Twitter has been in the spotlight.

But Rory Burns, who looked set to follow his century in the drawn first Test at Lord’s with another, only to fall to Boult for 81, insisted England had their game heads on as they look to claim this two-match series.

‘As soon as we got to Edgbaston it was a question of what can we do to win this Test match,’ he said. ‘The perspective was all eyes on the cricket.

Rory Burns also hit a half century as England ended the day on a topsy-turvy 258 for seven

‘The pitch is slightly two-paced, and it wasn’t the easiest to force strokes on. It was slightly disappointing to fall short but I’m pretty happy to back up the runs at Lord’s with another good score.’

Asked about the batting of Lawrence, Burns replied: ‘It was good to watch, wasn’t it? He enjoys his flair and some of his shot-making was brilliant.

‘How he managed to be so fluent on that kind of surface was impressive.’