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5 hours ago
9
Key events
20th over: England 87-1 (Gay 34, Bethell 9) Three catches now fluffed in this innings, plus the missed chance of a review. In a low-scoring game, particularly galling for the bowlers . Three singles from Henry’s over.
19th over: England 84-1 (Gay 32, Bethell 8) New Zealand, famous for their fielding, suddenly with soapy fingers, drop another. This time Devon Conway, who also dropped Harry Brook in the first innings, fails to collect an awkward drive by Bethell at backward point and fluffs the rebound. O’Rourke, who has been steaming in, is unimpressed,
18th over: England 84-1 (Gay 32, Bethell 8) Bethell is getting some chin music here, Bethell twists into a short ball, neither duck nor dodge and is hit on the shoulder.
An email wings in from Matt Guthrie in Montana. “For Bill Hargreaves and others (over 10), may I recommend the amazing ArtButMakeItSports which juxtaposes action shots from sporting events with similar works of art. Great fun!”
18th over: England 84-1 (Gay 32, Bethell 8) Four leg byes and a couple more runs on the drive from Gay off Henry.
17th over: England 78-1 (Gay 30, Bethell 8) O’Rourke from the pavilion end. A gorgeous square drive, with dipped knee, brings Gay the first boundary of the session.
“Afternoon Tanya,” hello Tom Hopkins.
”I haven’t done the statistical analysis to back this up, but I have the impression that for a lot of years Lord’s Tests tend to have started with a tumble of wickets then the pitch has died a death and we’ve ended up with big scores if not bore draws.
”I’m not sure if that’s happening here, or even if it’ll have time to, but I do wonder if there’s an underlying (literally, I guess!) issue and whether Lord’s gets something of a free pass not afforded to other grounds?”
Interesting hypothesis. I think it definitely gets more of a pass because all the visiting teams want to play there. They haven’t had much rain in the south east recently so I don’t know if that is also a factor. Rob is taking over from me in about an hour and he remembers everything, so try him for a full breakdown.
Afternoon session
16th over: England 73-1 (Gay 25, Bethell 8) The lights are on, the skies are brooding, but the sun, for now, is out. Henry, after two expensive overs this morning, continues. A huge lbw appeal second ball against Gay. Henry is keen, Latham less so, and NZ don’t go upstairs. Ah, they should have done, replays show the ball would have clipped the top of leg stump. The balcony give it out which might be why Latham decides at the last moment to review another lbw against Bethell. This one would just have clipped the top so umpire’s call.
A full session of play and only five wickets to fall. It must have got slightly easier to bat. Possibly. I thought Duckett and Gay batted with real discipline against some excellent Kiwi bowling. The post lunch session will be key
Time for me to grab a sandwich, back shortly.
15th over: England 72-1 (Gay 24, Bethell 8) Bethell gets his eye in before lunch with two fours, one through the covers and one gully. O’Rourke finishes the session with a firecracker that flies up and hits an evading Bethell on glove and chest. Gay and Bethell punch gloves and are applauded through the Long Room and into the dressing room. England’s session – the lead 99.
14th over: England 64-1 (Gay 24, Bethell 0) Henry again. Gay cover drives him with a morale-boosting purr for four, but should have been caught next ball as he edges and the ball flies between diving first and second slips. Four byes completes a helpful 12-run over for England.
13th over: England 52-1 (Gay 16, Bethell 0) Duckett so nearly made it to lunch. O’Rourke greets Bethell with a snorting bouncer that he rather balletically evades.
An email drops from a nearly airborne Charlie Dunmore. “About to take off from Geneva to Heathrow to take my kids to their first ever cricket match. Could only get tickets for the 4th day at Lord’s, so if the wickets keep falling, they may have to settle for Surrey v Hampshire at the Oval, which may not be the experience they were hoping for...” I think the forecast is dodgy for Saturday, so you may still be in luck. If not, the Oval is a great place to watch cricket. The Guardian will be live blogging from that game so drop us a line if you end up having to placate them with your reserve plans.
WICKET! Duckett c Phillips b O'Rourke 33 (England 52-1)
Duckett bends his knees as if he’s about do dig a sandcastle and dollops the ball into the hands of Phillips at gully.
12th over: England 46-0 (Duckett 27 ,Gay 16) Matt Henry comes in for his first over since his four yesterday. He’s tentative and it’s not terribly successful. His first ball is a fat wide one that Duckett drives down the ground, the next a half volley driven to the long on boundary. The third ball slides past Duckett and hits wicketkeeper Blundell on the end of his fingers, who howls with pain.
11th over: England 35-0 (Duckett 18 ,Gay 15) Gay ducks O’Rourke’s first ball and is lucky to survive a rash drive at his second. Ducks the fifth but slides four through deep third off the final delivery. England just starting to pick up the pace here.
10th over: England 31-0 (Duckett 18 ,Gay 11) Smith hastens in, spidery moustache resting on his lip. At last a wideish ball, and Gay bends his back, rolls his wrists and sends four handsomely towards the Grandstand. Smith is furious with himself and after he collects his cap, wrestles it in frustration.
“I’d love to see Squires do something with that photo from the 25th over,” writes Bill Hargreaves. “He worked wonders with his Caravaggio take on the Arsenal West Ham game.”
9th over: England 24-0 (Duckett 17 ,Gay 5) O’Rourke replaces Jamieson and his first ball is nasty, brutish and short, rapping Duckett’s bottom hand. Duckett pulls his hand away immediately, and the physio runs on and manipulates things. Duckett continues and Rourke pins him in place with six dot balls.
Hello there, Tom van der Gucht.
“The way this pitch sounds to be playing reminds me of Baldrick in Blackadder Goes Fourth when he engraved his name on a bullet as he felt that he’d be less likely to be shot if he owned the said bullet with his name on... Perhaps England should take a leaf out of his book and take the ball with their name on it out of the equation by going hell for leather old-school Bazball style.” I wonder if they might be, had the winter not unravelled as it did.
8th over: England 24-0 (Duckett 17 ,Gay 5) Gay is rapped on the knee and Smith appeals with gusto, but given not out and NZ don’t go upstairs. Outside the line I think.
7th over: England 21-0 (Duckett 14 ,Gay 5) Jamieson smiles a wolfish smile as he sends down something unplayable to Duckett. Gay gets bat firmly on ball and picks up three through midwicket – a pretty challenging workout on debut.
6th over: England 16-0 (Duckett 13 ,Gay 2) A quieter over from Smith.
“I worked with a chap (a committed recreational runner) who had a haircut comparable to Stokes’ previous sweepback,” writes Charlie Tinsley. “He was promptly nicknamed Sonic. I’d be interested in Stokes pre and post haircut bowling speeds.” Are you predicting a Samsonesque loss of powers?
5th over: England 14-0 (Duckett 12, Gay 1) It’s grey over the pavilion, though the sun is shining on Jamieson’s back. Duckett off-drives four, that will be a confidence boost, but now Rachin Ravindra, who dropped Brook in the first innings, lets Duckett through his hands at midwicket. Duckett was out of his crease, steers the ball up, but Ravindra gets in a tangle as he leans forward and the ball appears to miss his hands and hit him in the belly. Jamieson leans over and sighs, hands on shins.
4th over: England 10-0 (Duckett 8, Gay 1) Gay is greeted with a beauty from Smith that swings away and leaves his drive swishing through air. Inside edges his way to the other end, where Duckett axes another four over point. Tricky, tricky conditions and excellent bowling.
3rd over: England 4-0 (Duckett 4, Gay 0) Jamieson continues to torment Duckett, one jags away, another keeps low, until Duckett finally gets bat on ball, over point for four but not with total conviction.
“Morning Tanya,” hello Stef !
“Doing my laundry so in and out. I’m all for exciting cricket but please I don’t want a two- day test I’ve still got the clothes to dry and be ironed.” I’m with you all the way – that’s exactly how I felt during the Ashes – I wanted five days out of every Test to carry me through the winter.
2nd over: England 0-0 (Duckett 0, Gay 0) While Piers Morgan and Alec Stewart roar with laughter over a glass of champagne in one of the boxes, Emilio Gay has the more difficult task of dealing with Nathan Smith. He edges a couple towards the slip cordon, but with dropped wrists. Shoulders arms at a couple more. And has a final woofing drive and miss at the last ball, then blows his lips out in a sigh of frustration/relief.
1st over: England 0-0 (Duckett 0, Gay 0) Jamieson pulls on his seven-league boots. Duckett defends sensibly for two balls then is lured into a stroke or two and is flummoxed completely by a final delivery on song.
A New Zealand huddle, at what looks like an overcast Lord’s.
“As much as I like it hooping around, do you ever think back to all those ‘unfit, unplayable’ Bunsens in India and Pakistan and acknowledge some of the rank hypocrisy of the England pundits?” writes Simon Thomas. “It’s great fun when the wickets are tumbling in England but it is a disgrace when local conditions apply elsewhere.
“It was good fun though.”
Very true Simon. And here come Duckett and Gay through the pavilion and down the steps.
A dream comeback for Robinson, three wickets in his first over, five in the innings – his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests.
And the excellent Josh Tongue now has 40 wickets in six and a half Tests, averaging 23.
On comes the heavy roller, and a bit of reading for the change of innings.
WICKET! Henry b Robinson 0 (New Zealand 113 all out, trail England by 27)
Henry shuffles gingerly backwards and loses his middle stump! A chuffed-to-bits Robinson collects his fifth wicket, holds up the ball and marches England off the field. The lead over New Zealand is a useful 27.
29.5 overs: New Zealand 113 all out ( Jamieson 38) Jamieson might as well go for glory and clubs Robinson over long on and out of reach of the chasing Stokes. Takes a single from the fourth ball leaving Henry to stump-dancing fate.
29th over: New Zealand 108-9 ( Jamieson 33, Henry 0 ) Atkinson replaces Tongue from the pavilion end, his first ball is wide and stylishly driven square by Jamison for a single, which exposes O’Rourke who lasts no longer. Matt Henry survives four balls.
WICKET! O'Rourke c Brook b Atkinson 1 (New Zealand 108-9)
Atkinson’s second ball of the morning, a tumbling wobble seam, and O’Rourke obligingly gets low and guides the ball to Brook at second slip.
Overseas TMS link
28th over: New Zealand 107-8 ( Jamieson 32, O’ Rourke 1) Robinson continues after a long chat with Stokes, who shuffles the field mid over and adds a slip for O’Rourke. Emilio Gay goes under the helmet for the last ball of the over. Good to be kept busy on Test debut – but the pressure!
And thank you to Tom Thronicker in Spain for supplying the overseas TMS link.
27th over: New Zealand 106-8 ( Jamieson 31, O’ Rourke 1) Tongue reapplies the tourniquet. Back on message. Squeaks one, two, past O’Rourke’s careful outside edge.
26th over: New Zealand 105-8 ( Jamieson 30, O’ Rourke 1) Take that! Jamieson clobbers a bouncer from Robinson into the Grandstand. And another, next ball, also a pedestrian bouncer. “Stokes needs to have a word with his bowlers,” says Nasser. “They need to keep aiming at off stump.”
“Morning, From a chilly but clear Joburg!” says Duncan Bonnett. “If nobody is blaming the pitch, I suppose we’ve moved from Bazball to Bazbowl? Mayhem for the rest of the day?” Personally, I favour a long period of calm, I’m supposed to be going to Lord’s tomorrow.
25th over: New Zealand 90-8 ( Jamieson 16, O’ Rourke 0) Tongue plumps for a slower ball and Jamieson leans back and fires him straight back into the pavilion for six, scattering the egg and bacon blazers. Nearly treads on his stump next ball as he jumps back into his crease with his colossal boots. O’Rourke uncomfortably survives three balls near 90mph.
Matt Henry, off the field yesterday with a back spasm, will have a bat reports TMS.
24th over: New Zealand 83-8 ( Jamieson 9, O’ Rourke 0) Just one from Robinson’s over – New Zealand still trail by 57.
WICKET! Smith b Tongue 15 (New Zealand 82-8)
Smith carefully watches Tongue’s delivery, tucks up his bat, jumps, and neatly leaves the ball, allowing it to crunch into the top of off stump.
23rd over: New Zealand 82-8 ( Jamieson 8, O’ Rourke 0) Ooof, Tongue fires a ball in, which rises and crashes into Jamieson’s helmet as he swivels - takes quite some doing at six foot eight. Tongue, nice man that he is, looks concerned and if he’s ok. He is. Smith runs four down to the rope shortly before he becomes the third man in the match to be bowled leaving the ball.
22nd over: New Zealand 77-7 ( Smith 11, Jamieson 7) Jamieson gets his boundary at the third time of asking, flashing Robinson to the third man boundary and generally causing chaos.
“I was watching the Test highlights on the iPlayer earlier,” writes John Starbuck, “and struck by the amount of facial hair on both teams. Does this herald a return to the Golden Days of WG and the like?” So true, I think Bethell and Jamie Smith are the only baby-faced English players. I love a bit of stubble so fully approve.
21st over: New Zealand 70-7 ( Smith 10, Jamieson 1 ) Jamieson marches in with intent after Philips loses his off stump. Bangs into a drive, throws the combine harvester at another, but only picks up one run. Smith drives the smiling Tongue’s last ball for four.
WICKET! Phillips b Tongue 34 (New Zealand 65-7)
Tongue’s first ball of the day fractionally straightens and Philips plays… and misses. A satisfying crunch of stumps.
20th over: New Zealand 65-6 (Phillips 34, Smith 6) Ben Stokes, newly shorn of his 1950s sweep-back, completes his over started yesterday. A no ball and Phillips sends him sweetly down to backward point for three.
“Plus ca change,” says Mark Puttick.
“Almost exactly four years since England last played New Zealand at Lord’s
2022: England’s 1st inns, 141-10, 42.5 overs
2026: England’s 1st inns, 140-10, 39.4 overs
2022: NZ 1st inns, found themselves 2-2 & 12-4, both Mitchell & Blundell were bowled as NZ folded to 36-6.
2026: NZ 1st Inns, found themselves 2-2 & 12-4, both Mitchell & Blundell were bowled as NZ folded to 29-6
England batted 2nd in 2022 though.”
Incredible symmetry.
“Good morning Tanya,” hello Krishnamoorthy V!
“Looks like the match may get over today. While we wait for it to start , have you been following this new sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi who is one part Viv Richards, one part Sachin Tendulkar and one part Matthew Hayden. Bowlers world over must be having nightmares featuring him.”
He’s incredible isn’t he? There’s part of me that things he’s too young to deal with the pressure and adulation, but he seems to be taking it in his stride. It can’t be long before he gets a tap on the shoulder from the Indian hierachy.
Session times for day two
Ninety-eight overs are due today after yesterday’s rain.
Morning Session: 1100-1315
Afternoon Session: 1355-1610
Evening Session: 1630-1830
Red for Ruth
A deeply moving piece of television on Sky about the Ruth Strauss Foundation. Two young mums speak about living with a stage four cancer diagnosis, and another about the death of her husband – 127 children lose a parent every day in the UK. For some reason I can’t access the Ruth Strauss Foundation website, but you can google it if you would like to donate.
A thoughtful piece from Andy Bull on Brendan McCullum which contains the killer line – “only two of that team that played [at Lord’s] back in 2022, Ben Stokes and Joe Root, made it all the way through the cycle back to this match.”
Mike Atherton and Stuart Broad are in red blazers on Red for Ruth day at Lord’s. They laud Ollie Robinson. “He moved the ball and in such a dangerous area,” says Broad, “he was immaculate in his length and more importantly in his line.”
Preamble
Good morning and welcome to day two of the first Test of the summer, the morning after the evening before, when everyone staggered over the line at twenty past seven, punch drunk and 16 wickets poorer.
It was a fast-food order of a first day, punchy innings from Harry Brook and Glenn Phillips the only ballast against the clattering of wickets between the showers. Kyle Jamieson finished with five for 62 on his comeback after a stress-fracture, and Ollie Robinson four for ten, including an extraordinary triple-wicket maiden in his first over back after a two-year hiatus.
The weather looks better for today, batting should be easier, which may be some consolation for those looking at their weekend tickets and wondering whether they’ll have anything to watch. Play starts at 11am BST, do join us.
