New Zealand were 36 for 3 chasing England’s 254 for win after day two on a minefield of a pitch in the first Test at Lord’s on Friday.
England struck a crucial blow just 10 minutes before stumps when Josh Tongue dismissed Kane Williamson leg before. Williamson missed a full-length delivery that would have hit middle stump.
Earlier, New Zealand completed their first innings on 113, giving England a lead of 27 runs. Debutant opener Emilio Gay top-scored with 57 as England were bowled out for 226 in their second innings, setting New Zealand a target of 254. It would be the fifth-highest successful run chase in Lord’s Test history.
However, New Zealand’s hopes suffered a major setback in the final hour. Captain Tom Latham fell to just the third ball of the chase, edging behind while attempting an attacking shot. Williamson followed soon after, while nightwatchman Will O’Rourke was also dismissed before the close. Gus Atkinson picked up two wickets, leaving New Zealand in trouble heading into the third day.
Devon Conway, unbeaten on 12, will resume the innings on Saturday with rain forecast to play a role.
The match has continued to be dominated by fast bowlers. After 16 wickets fell on the opening day, another 17 tumbled on day two. A total of 33 wickets have fallen in just 137.2 overs, with not a single one taken by a spinner. The pitch has come under scrutiny, with seamers making the most of the conditions and three bowlers already claiming five-wicket hauls.
The standout performer for England with the bat was debutant Emilio Gay. Rewarded for his excellent County Championship form, Gay bounced back from scoring just 8 in the first innings to produce a composed half-century.
Gay became the first England opener in 22 years to score a fifty on Test debut at home. He celebrated modestly before eventually being dismissed for 57 off 95 balls, edging Nathan Smith behind.
His wicket triggered a dramatic collapse. England lost four wickets for just one run in the space of 11 balls as Harry Brook, Joe Root and Ben Stokes all departed cheaply. From a comfortable 126 for 2, England suddenly slipped to 127 for 6.
O’Rourke, who bowled with plenty of energy throughout the day, removed Ben Duckett and Brook. Smith, meanwhile, took on a heavier workload after Matt Henry was limited by the back spasms that troubled him on the opening day.
Smith delivered an outstanding spell, finishing with 6 for 70. It was the second five-wicket haul of his six-Test career and earned him a place on the Lord’s honours board.
England managed to recover thanks to useful contributions from Jamie Smith (39) and Ollie Robinson (29), helping them post a target that looked competitive on a challenging pitch.
New Zealand also hurt their own cause in the field. They missed a review when Henry appeared to trap Gay lbw on 24, while Rachin Ravindra and Conway both dropped catches for the second consecutive day. Fortunately for New Zealand, Jacob Bethell did not make them pay heavily, as Henry bowled him for 14 with a superb delivery.
New Zealand had resumed the morning on 61 for 6 and were eventually bowled out for 113. Tongue quickly removed overnight batters Glenn Phillips and Nathan Smith, but the lower order showed resistance by adding 84 valuable runs.
Kyle Jamieson entertained with a counter-attacking 38 after surviving a blow to the helmet from Tongue, but he was left stranded when Henry became the last man out. Robinson finished with career-best Test figures of 5 for 39, his first five-wicket haul since 2022 and his first at Lord’s.
