'Heart of a lion': captain's pride in Carse after 10-wicket haul

As Brydon Carse basked in the afterglow of his 10-wicket match - one that muscled England to victory in the first Test - the splice-thumping fast bowler was described as having "the heart of a lion".

- Ali Martin

Given the words came from Ben Stokes, a man who has a pride of them tattooed on his back, it could be taken as a fair old dollop of praise.

Playing in just his third Test, Carse pushed New Zealand back with the short ball and hunted front pads in between, ending with match figures of 10 for 106. Add the unbeaten 33 he ransacked with the bat - plus the fact Harry Brook's 171 contained five slices of fortune - and it was clear why Carse was named player of the match at the end of this eight-wicket win.

"I don't want to say I knew this day would come," Carse said, having claimed six for 42 in New Zealand's second innings of 254 all out. "But I was always ambitious to think I can play cricket at this level. I'm just very proud of today's performance."

Hamilton in 2008 was the last time an England seamer, Ryan Sidebottom, claimed 10 wickets across two innings in an overseas Test and, 1-0 up with two to play, this side now has a golden chance to become the first since that tour to claim a series win in New Zealand. Although the hosts will surely not be so generously butter-fingered in Wellington next week, having dropped eight catches here.