Posted by Opener at Lord’s was as good as test cricket can really get, there wasn’t an emotion missing. New Zealand failed with the bat in the first innings, but an inspiring bowling performance still had them in the test and in the 2nd innings when New Zealand were looking at 350 odd English quicks responded the call of quick wickets and then comfortably chased down.
ENGLAND’S XI : Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
NEW ZEALAND’S XI : Tom Latham, Will Young, Kane Williamson (C), Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel.
NEW ZEALAND 1ST INNINGS :
New Zealand having won the toss failed to make the most of it. James Anderson on return picked up both Kiwi openers for 1 (Tom Latham and Will Young), courtesy, Bairstow who grabbed stunners. Skipper, Kane walked in at 1-1 wanting to stitch in a partnership but Conway carelessly poked at one wide outside off and walked back for 3, New Zealand were 7-3. Debutant, Potts conceded 5 balls to bag his first international test wicket and was a big one that of Kane Williamson who walked back for 2(33). Daryl Mitchell and Blundell both got a couple rolling to the fence, but shortly departed with scores of 13 and 14 respectively with Potts now having 3 to his name and was having a perfect debut outing at Lord’s. New Zealand were 6 down for 36 and the tail managed to get New Zealand to a total of 132. De Grandhomme remained unbeaten on 42(50) and had support from Trent Boult and Southee who chipped in quick 14 and 26 respectively. Both, Anderson and Potts bagged 4 wickets each with a wicket each to Stokes and Broad.
INJURY UPDATE :
Early on day 1, Jack Leach in an attempt to save a boundary suffered a concussion, England got Matthew Parkinson to debut as a concussion substitute.
ENGLAND’S 1ST INNINGS :
England were off to a good start, Zak Crawley and Alex Lees put up a cautious start and slowly freed arms whenever an opportunity presented itself. 50 was up for England in their 13th over with Zak Crawley playing his natural game was 39*(50) and Lees playing his natural was 14*(29). Final session of play saw Jamieson break the opening stand of 59 runs with the wicket of Zak Crawley for a well made 43(56). Ollie Pope was in the middle to save his test career batting at 3, but walked back with a 7 next to his name. Alex Lees kept going about his business and Root too looked good in the middle, de Grandhomme striked Root for 11 and England were 92-3 despite a good start. The worst followed as Kiwi pair of Southee and Boult got going and striked Bairstow, Stokes and Foakes on scores of 1, 1 and 7 respectively and England suddenly found themselves 100-7. Tailenders gathered 24 and got England to 141, 8 run lead. Southee, Boult, Jamieson and de Grandhomme bagged 4, 3, 2 and 1 wicket respectively, with Ajaz Patel not being used.
NEW ZEALAND’S 2ND INNINGS :
Kiwi’s again didn’t a great start, Anderson striked Will Young on 1. Kane Williamson got in and just went really got going, edged a wide one and Potts on debut had the Kiwi skipper 2 in 2 and then bagged Latham who looked set departed for 14 and New Zealand again were in trouble, 35-3. Conway and Mitchell managed a little stitch before Broad got into the wickets columns on seeing the back of Conway for 13, Kiwi’s were 4 down for 59. New Zealand wanted a strong comeback and Daryl Mitchell was joined by Tom Blundell who went on to put a masterclass partnership display of 195 runs, successfully had New Zealand out of trouble. Day 3 saw Daryl Mitchell get on the honours broad at Lord’s with a century to his name, but soon departed for an excellent knock of 108(203), Broad got curtains to the partnership. de Grandhomme was run out first ball and Jamieson saw his off stump rattled first ball, England had a team hat-trick in the 83rd over and Kiwi’s from 251-5 were down to 251-7, the 350+ score expectations now demanded something special, but wasn’t to be. Tom Blundell was next to depart falling 4 short of his ton and a pumped up Broad now had 3. Southee’s 21 and 8 from Boult and Ajaz Patel saw New Zealand end on 285. Stuart Broad and Matthew Potts had 3 each, Anderson had a couple and Parkinson had his first test wicket in Tim Southee.
ENGLAND’S 2ND INNINGS :
England requiring 277 for a win had a decent 31 run opening stand that saw curtains as Jamieson striked Alex Lees for 20 and soon picked up Zak Crawley on 9. Ollie Pope’s struggles continued as he departed for 7 and Jonny Bairstow too couldn’t stand in with Joe Root. With 69 on board, England were 4 down. Ben Stokes joined a set Joe Root and both batted beautifully, Ben Stokes got to his 50, but soon departed for a fine 54(110) and it was that man, Jamieson again who broke the key partnership, a 90 run stand this time. New Zealand managed to get one, but more didn’t follow and soon Joe Root got his 50 and Ben Foakes stuck in well and kept the scorecard ticking. Root early on day 4 got to his century and the 10,000 test run mark was breached. Root pulled one for four to hand England a test win. England won by 5 wickets, Foakes and Root’s partnership of 120 runs remained unbeaten, brilliant batting by the duo with individual scores 32*(92) and 115*(170) respectively. Kiwi bowling card read, a wicket to Boult and a four-fer for Jamieson.
The win will comfort the English camp, but there’s work still to be put in. New Zealand too have a few key boxes to tick ahead of 2nd, Nottingham test to remain alive in the series, a lot more on that in the preview to come next. It’s a quick turnaround with the 2nd test only 4 sleeps away.
Bureau of sports 