The Durham seamer, who picked up 4 for 13 on debut, backed England to continue to take a positive approach with the bat and play entertaining cricket
England will keep "throwing punches" despite a "rollercoaster" day at the start of the LV= Insurance Test series against New Zealand according to Matthew Potts.
Potts, the Durham seamer, finished with 4 for 13 from his first day of international cricket including the prize wicket of Kane Williamson with his fifth ball.
But although England would have been delighted in bowling out New Zealand for just 132, they finished the day with no guarantee of achieving a first-innings lead after slumping to 116 for 7 in reply. Potts’ day ended when he was dismissed for a duck.
While accepting it has been an "eventful day", Potts insisted England would continue to take a positive approach with bat and ball with the primary aim of playing "entertaining cricket".
"I think we're going to throw punches," he said. "I think that's what we all want to see. We all want to exchange blows so if they throw us two, we'll throw them four. Personally, I think it's very, very entertaining.
"We’ve had an eventful day. It was a rollercoaster. We’ve come to entertain; that’s our first and foremost thing. And it’s been an entertaining day of cricket and one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.
Kane Williamson was Potts' first victim in Test cricket [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]
"We’re still in a contest to win a game of Test cricket here. We’re going to attack the day tomorrow and then, when we get the opportunity to bowl, we’re going to put it in the same areas we’ve put it in today."
Potts, who was handed his Test cap by former Durham and England fast bowler Steve Harmison before play, admitted he had suffered a few nerves
"I felt very composed before the first ball and then I bowled a long hop second ball and I was very nervous after that," he said. "But I just focused on putting it in a good area, hitting the pitch hard with a bit of wobble on it.
"That ball [to Williamson] nipped off a good length, drawing a bit of a false shot, with a nice catch from Ben Foakes. I felt absolute elation. A Test debut at the home of cricket, in the pinnacle format, and then to get the New Zealand captain out fifth ball: I was absolutely over the moon."
There was some concern when Potts walked off the pitch midway through his 10th over. But the England camp later clarified is was a minor attack of cramp and Potts made it clear it was only through an abundance of caution that he was asked to leave the field. Although he admits he was a little frustrated not to have the chance to complete a five-for on debut, he accepted the precaution was for the "greater good of the team".
"We had them nine down and the calves were barking at me a little bit," he said. "I’d bowled an eight-over spell, the ground was a bit soft and I had probably thrown 115 per cent [effort] into it without realising. A bit of nerves probably takes its toll on the body.
"It was more of a case of making sure I didn’t pull anything. Stokesy took the decision off me and said 'get off the pitch; go rest and we'll get the last wicket'. He said 'you make sure you're ready for the second innings' because that is crucial, that's where the end game is going to be.
"I could have gone for five wickets. I told Stokesy I could keep on bowling. But it’s always thinking about the greater good of the team over personal achievement.
"I am the first person to keep on battling through things at Durham. But me pulling a calf while having cramp seeking a personal achievement over the team… I’m trying to get myself right and win a Test rather than us be a bowler down because I’ve pulled a calf trying to take five."
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