England bowled New Zealand out for 138 before lunch on day four to win the first Test at Lord’s by 115 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and delivering the post-Ashes confidence boost the side desperately needed.
Gus Atkinson was the pick of the bowlers with five for 30, becoming the fourth England bowler to earn a place on the Lord’s honours board in the match, as New Zealand were dismissed in 40.3 overs having been set 254 to win. The tourists resumed on 55 for five and never looked likely to mount a serious challenge on a pitch that made batting, for the most part, a near-impossible exercise.
Josh Tongue struck early, trapping Tom Blundell lbw for four to leave the visitors 58 for six. Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway then offered some brief resistance, adding 53 for the seventh wicket in what was the second-highest partnership of the entire match. Conway, who survived an extremely close lbw shout on day three and was dropped on 24 by Harry Brook at second slip on the fourth morning, eventually edged Ben Stokes to Jacob Bethell, who held a sharp low catch at gully. With Conway gone for 41 off 91 balls, the collapse resumed: four wickets fell for 27 runs as Atkinson removed Nathan Smith and Kyle Jamieson before cleaning up Matt Henry to end the innings. Phillips remained unbeaten on 44 off 52 deliveries but ran out of partners.
The match was a bowler’s paradise from the outset. Thirty-three wickets had fallen across the first two days alone, and the Lord’s surface drew sharp criticism from former England captain Nasser Hussain, who described it as substandard for Test cricket. Only 9.4 overs were possible on day three due to persistent rain, and the early finish on day four triggered further financial headaches for the ground, with 50 per cent refunds owed to the fourth day’s ticket holders after full refunds had already been issued following the near washout on day three.
The victory was England’s first since the 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia and arrived with a degree of context attached. How much the result reflects genuine improvement remains unclear given the conditions, but it provided exactly what was required: a winning start, some restored morale and a couple of individual stories worth following.
Ollie Robinson’s return was the most compelling. Exiled since early 2024 over fitness concerns, the Sussex seamer took seven wickets in the match and announced his comeback in dramatic fashion by dismissing Devon Conway, Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra in his first over on the opening evening. He will now look to consolidate a long-term place, though the more pressing question is whether he can sustain that output on pitches less favourable to seam.
Emilio Gay, drafted in as opener after Zak Crawley was dropped, also made his mark. His 57 from 95 balls in England’s second innings was the highest score of the entire match, and his composure on debut suggested a player capable of holding down the position. New Zealand will reflect ruefully on not reviewing a Lbw appeal against him on 24, a decision that might have altered the course of the innings.
The Black Caps also put down five catches across England’s two innings, a costly habit that gave the hosts precious additional runs on a surface where every contribution mattered. England will hope for a more balanced contest when the series resumes at The Kia Oval from 17 June, ahead of the third and final Test at Trent Bridge from 25 June.
