Black Caps win by an innings and 79 runs to build confidence ahead of England Test series.
Image ESPN Cricinfo
Tom Latham praised key performances from Tom Blundell and Nathan Smith after New Zealand national cricket team secured a dominant win over Ireland in the one-off Test in Belfast.
New Zealand won by an innings and 79 runs, using strong batting and disciplined bowling to control the match from start to finish.
Tom Blundell led the batting effort with 186 runs, forming a 217-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra that helped New Zealand recover from an early wobble.
Nathan Smith starred with the ball, taking six wickets for 40 runs as Ireland were bowled out for 179 in their first innings and forced to follow on.
Ireland could only add 232 runs in their second innings, sealing a comfortable victory for the visitors.
Latham said the team had been under pressure early but praised the response from the batting unit and the value of spending time in the middle.
He added that the win provides useful momentum ahead of New Zealand’s upcoming Test series against England at Lord’s.
