England vs New Zealand Tests 2015: Drawn 1-1 — Anderson's 400th Wicket (First Englishman), Boult 13 Wickets, Watling 120 at Headingley, Lyth and Wood England Debuts

The two-match Test series between England and New Zealand in May-June 2015 was drawn 1-1. 1st Test Lord's (May 21-25): England won by 124 runs — ENG 389 & 478; NZ 523 & 220. Kane Williamson scored 132 in NZ's 1st innings of 523. Trent Boult took 5/85. Adam Lyth, Mark Wood, and Matt Henry all made Test debuts. Ben Stokes won Player of the Match. 2nd Test Headingley (May 29-Jun 2): New Zealand won by 199 runs — NZ 350 & 454/8d; ENG 350 & 255. Both teams scored exactly 350 in their 1st innings. BJ Watling scored 120 — the first New Zealander to score a Test century at Headingley. Adam Lyth scored 107 in England's 2nd innings but could not prevent the 199-run defeat. James Anderson took his 400th Test wicket at Headingley — dismissing Martin Guptill — becoming the first Englishman to reach 400 Test wickets and the 12th bowler overall. NZ's 2nd innings declaration at 454/8 set England 455 to win; they fell to 255. Alastair Cook won England's Player of the Series with 309 runs (including 162 at Lord's); Trent Boult won New Zealand's with 13 wickets. Alastair Cook captained England; Brendon McCullum captained New Zealand.

Anderson's 400th Test Wicket: The First Englishman to the Landmark

James Anderson reaching his 400th Test wicket at Headingley — dismissing Martin Guptill on the opening day of the 2nd Test — was one of English cricket's landmark bowling moments. Anderson became the first Englishman ever to take 400 Test wickets, and the 12th bowler in history to reach the milestone, doing so in his 104th Test match, 12 years after his debut. His 400 wickets combined swing bowling mastery with extraordinary longevity: able to take wickets both in home swing conditions and away on flat pitches. The milestone came during a Test New Zealand won by 199 runs, somewhat overshadowing the achievement amid England's batting collapse.

Boult's 13 Wickets and Watling's Headingley Hundred

Trent Boult's 13 wickets across the two-match series — including 5/85 at Lord's in NZ's 523 — made him the joint leading wicket-taker alongside Stuart Broad (also 13) and earned him New Zealand's Player of the Series. Boult's left-arm swing was the bowling centrepiece of a New Zealand team that competed vigorously throughout. BJ Watling's 120 at Headingley was a milestone innings for New Zealand: the first Test century by any New Zealand player at Headingley. Watling batted with patience and application on a surface that challenged England's chase, winning Player of the Match as New Zealand's 199-run win levelled the series. His series aggregate of 254 runs was NZ's highest.

Three Debut Performances: Lyth, Wood, and Henry

The 1st Test at Lord's saw three players make Test debuts. Adam Lyth (England opener) and Mark Wood (England seamer) both played their first Tests; Matt Henry made his Test debut for New Zealand. Henry impressed immediately — dismissing Cook, Bell, and Root in the 1st Test. Wood took 3/93 in NZ's Lord's 1st innings. Lyth's debut was modest at Lord's (7 and 12) before his 107 at Headingley gave him a century in his debut series. Luke Ronchi also made his New Zealand Test debut in the 2nd Test at Headingley. Alastair Cook's 162 at Lord's — giving him 309 series runs — took him further clear in England's all-time Test run-scoring record, confirming his position as England's highest Test run-scorer.