The Black Caps were 291-7 at stumps as a greatly-changed England looked to put the Ben Stokes saga behind them, with fast bowler Sonny Baker taking two wickets on debut.Blundell made 51 and shared valuable stands of 81 with Daryl Mitchell (44) and 75 with Phillips after New Zealand, sent into bat, had slumped to 107-4."It's nice to contribute in partnerships," Mitchell, who holed out off Baker, told reporters. "I think the way Tom Blundell and GP (Phillips) built another partnership at the back end there and kept finding ways to put pressure back on them was really important in the context of the day's play."Phillips hit Baker for two boundaries off successive deliveries -- a short ball slapped over cover followed by a glorious drive through extra-cover.'Energiser bunny' Phillips
New Zealand's Glenn Phillips evades a short ball from England's Jofra Archer during the second Test at The Oval © Glyn KIRK / AFP
"GP, we love him, he's an absolute beauty, he's an energiser bunny," said Mitchell of Phillips, who survived a fiery spell from recalled fast bowler Jofra Archer, in for the injured Ollie Robinson, late in the day."I think he thrives in moments like that, like tonight he's the entertainer, he's got the shades on, he's looking cool, he loves that stuff."This was a much-improved New Zealand batting display following their 115-run defeat in the first of a three-match series at Lord's earlier this month.And it might have been even better had all-rounder Jacob Bethell's left-arm spin not done for Blundell, who miscued a flighted delivery to stand-in England skipper Joe Root at short midwicket. Bethell also dismissed Nathan Smith in a return of 2-8 in five overs.
