England 116 for 7 (Foakes 6*, Broad 4*) path New Zealand 132 (de Grandhomme 42*, Potts 4-13, Anderson 4-66) by 16 runs
If the mantra of this England Test aspect, coached by Brendon McCullum and captained by Ben Stokes, is about “moving the game forward”, then the primary day of the opening Test of the summer time may scarcely have gone higher. But after a flying begin with the ball, England went again to previous habits as New Zealand uncovered acquainted failings with the bat. Seventeen wickets went down on an apparently true Lord’s floor, and are available the shut it was removed from clear which aspect was on prime.
After an encouraging opening stand of 59 between Zak Crawley and Alex Lees, England then shipped seven wickets throughout the night session to deliver New Zealand roaring again into the competition. Even after Kyle Jamieson produced the preliminary breakthroughs, they had been nonetheless properly positioned on 92 for two and with ideas starting to show in the direction of consolidation. But Joe Root, in his first Test since resigning the captaincy, steered de Grandhomme to gully and England promptly misplaced 5 for 8 to revive reminiscences of the grisly collapses which have disfigured their crimson-ball cricket over the past yr.
Crawley was the primary to depart, having produced a variety of eye-catching photographs in his 56-ball 43. But after stroking Jamieson via the covers for 4, he tried one other lavish drive off his subsequent ball solely to provide a skinny edge via to the keeper.
Ollie Pope’s maiden outing in first-class cricket at No. 3 didn’t final lengthy, feathering behind off a rising Jamieson supply, but it surely was the dismissal of Root that basically shook England’s resolve. Tim Southee struck twice within the area of consecutive overs, trapping Lees lbw shuffling throughout his stumps after one other dogged-however-insubstantial innings, earlier than Stokes edged behind with only a single to his title. The slide gathered momentum as Trent Boult, straight into the aspect after his late sprint from the IPL, claimed two in three balls, Jonny Bairstow dragging on to his stumps and Potts bounced out to conclude an eventful begin to his Test profession.
England ran rampant throughout an exhilarating morning session that noticed New Zealand totter in at lunch on 39 for six, as Potts, the Durham debutant, struck together with his fifth ball and added two throughout a powerful first spell in Test cricket, happening to complete with 4 for 13. If England started the collection with, in Stokes’ phrases, a “blank canvas”, they had been quickly daubing fairly photos for an expectant crowd – and such a rousing begin would possibly assist squeeze a couple of extra in via the gates within the days and weeks to return.
Only two of New Zealand’s prime six made it into double figures, a grim sequence which included Williamson scoring 2 from 22 balls earlier than edging behind off Potts, Ben Foakes swooping to his proper for his maiden dismissal behind the stumps on residence soil. Daryl Mitchell struck three retaliatory boundaries solely to play on in Potts’ fifth over, and the brand new boy had a 3rd shortly earlier than lunch when bringing one again up the slope to clatter Tom Blundell’s off stump.
New Zealand’s place worsened when Jamieson was out hooking to wonderful leg within the first over after lunch, and so they had been grateful for a counterattacking hand from de Grandhomme, who helped eke out 87 runs for the final three wickets.
For all the thrill round England promising a recent strategy to Test cricket, it was the acquainted sight of Anderson and Stuart Broad that greeted the New Zealand openers, the brand new-ball pair again in harness after being dropped for the tour to the Caribbean. Stokes, who wore a one-off shirt in tribute to the hospitalised former England batter Graham Thorpe on the toss, confirmed that he too would have opted to bat, however was in a position to settle straight into his new function orchestrating proceedings from mid-off.
It took Anderson, taking part in his first Test since serving to to safe a draw on the SCG in January, a mere seven balls to search out his groove as soon as once more. Will Young was lured into pushing exterior off however might need received away with a quick, low edge had it not been for a implausible one-handed catch from Bairstow, throwing himself to his left from third slip. Anderson bagged the wicket of Latham in his subsequent over, with Bairstow once more the catcher – this time throwing himself for the rebound after dropping the preliminary, chest-excessive likelihood.
Broad didn’t have to attend lengthy to get amongst it both, luring Devon Conway into a tough-handed prod that once more supplied catching apply for Bairstow within the slips, leaving New Zealand deep in hassle at 7 for 3 within the eighth over.
Their woes had been deepened by the impression of Potts, handed his cap earlier than play by Steve Harmison after being backed by Stokes – one other Durham and England man – for his debut. Potts had by no means performed a primary-class match earlier than at Lord’s, however walked off at lunch with figures of three for 8 after dwelling as much as his billing as a deck-hitting catalyst of a quick bowler.
He was on the cash from the outset, and his first sufferer may scarcely have been extra illustrious, as Williamson was drawn into pushing at one within the channel. Mitchell regarded extra snug than most of his colleagues, however was undone by some further bounce as he regarded to defend from the crease, earlier than Blundell additionally fell cheaply to Potts, whose relentless line left the New Zealand wicketkeeper unsure of his response, and fatally late on an in-ducker.
Jamieson threw the bat at 4 of his 5 deliveries after the break, earlier than choosing out Potts within the deep, however Southee was extra profitable in pushing England again, putting 4 boundaries in 26 off 23 balls. He fell in equivalent vogue to Anderson, and the elimination of Ajaz Patel by Potts with the primary ball of his second spell left each seamers considering a spot on the honours board. Potts limped off with cramp shortly after, changed mid-over by Stokes, and the brand new captain completed the frivolity – at the least till England’s madcap remaining hour.