England and New Zealand played out another day of Test cricket in fast-forward, which featured a debut fifty for Emilio Gay, the home side losing four wickets for one run in 11 balls, and the tourists closing on 36-3 after being set 254 to win at Lord’s.
New Zealand slipped to 0-1 in the first over of their second innings when captain Tom Latham edged Gus Atkinson to slip and then lost Kane Williamson – who has more than likely played his final innings in a Lord’s Test – lbw to Josh Tongue for 18 close to stumps before nightwatchman Will O’Rourke was castled by Atkinson (0).
Devon Conway, who survived a tight lbw review after being pinned on the pad by Ollie Robinson, is 12 not out, with his side needed a further 218 runs for victory.
A 17-wicket day two followed a 16-wicket opening day and it may now only be the weather – Saturday’s forecast looks rather grim – that prevents a three-day finish to kick off the men’s Test summer.
England appeared to be in full control of the game after they bowled New Zealand out for 113 before lunch on Friday – the lead was 27 runs at that point – and then, helped by Gay’s composed half-century and Kiwi errors in the field, reached 126-2.
However, Gay nicking Nathan Smith (6-70) behind triggered a remarkable mid-innings collapse, with Smith going on to trap Joe Root (8) lbw and nail the off stump of Ben Stokes (0) around O’Rourke (2-46) trapping Harry Brook – England’s top-scorer in the first innings with a counter-attacking 56 – leg before.
England were suddenly reeling on 127-6 – due to the bowlers’ class in gloomy conditions as opposed to dreadful batter error, it must be said – but runs from Jamie Smith (39), Gus Atkinson (14) and Robinson (29no) allowed the hosts to put on 99 runs for the final four wickets as the lavish moment abated somewhat.
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England suffered a collapse of four wickets for one run, with Harry Brook, Ben Stokes and Joe Root all out cheaply after Emilio Gay was dismissed for 57
Back at the start of the day, New Zealand added 55 runs to their overnight 61-6 – 38 of them coming off the bat of Kyle Jamieson, who swung Robinson (5-39) for a brace of sixes when the seamer dropped short and then another off a Tongue (3-40) slower ball.
Robinson polished off the Kiwis’ innings by cleaning up last man Matt Henry for a two-ball duck, completing his fourth Test five-for and first since the 2022 Test against South Africa across London at The Kia Oval.
The Oval is the venue for the second Test of this three-match series, from Wednesday June 17, and, as things stand, England are favourites to be heading into that contest with a 1-0 advantage.
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Ollie Robinson bowled Matt Henry to complete his first Test five-wicket haul in four years
Gay hits debut fifty as New Zealand pay for fielding blunders
In a Test full of chaos, there was a period of relative calm as England’s Gay and Ben Duckett (33) shared an opening stand of 52 from 76 balls.
The duo operated how team-mate Brook had suggested while speaking before play to Sky Sports – treating the straight balls with respect in a game full of bowleds and lbws and then attacking deliveries that were tossed out wider.
Both players enjoyed moments of fortune, with Duckett shelled on 12 by Rachin Ravindra at midwicket – that particular fielder’s second drop of the Test to go with a first-ball duck while batting.
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England debutant Gay reached fifty from 84 deliveries and hit eight fours in his innings
Gay edged between Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham in the slip cordon on 16, while he would have been lbw to Henry for 24 had New Zealand reviewed in the over after lunch.
Duckett was caught behind off O’Rourke playing a flat-footed drive and the same bowler should have had Jacob Bethell (12) pouched at backward point for eight, only for Devon Conway to shell the opportunity as the tourists’ drop tally for the match swelled to five.
Instead it was left to Henry, not as his very best due to a back spasm, to clean up Bethell with a delivery that scuttled through ever so low, ending an alliance of 47 with Gay.
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Watch New Zealand seamer Nathan Smith’s six-wicket haul at Lord’s
Carnage ensued once Gay, who reached fifty from 84 balls during a Nathan Smith over in which he struck three boundaries, departed.
It has been a Test for the bowlers, including Tongue nailing the off stumps of Glenn Phillips (34) and Nathan Smith (6) towards the end of New Zealand’s first innings in Friday morning.
England will now hope it stays that way. New Zealand want the opposite.
Watch day three of the first Test between England and New Zealand live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10.15am on Saturday. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.