SMARTER CRICKET MAY RESULT IN A SHORT TEST MATCH 16 WICKETS FALL AT LORD’S ON OPENING DAY
WICKETS tumbled at Lord’s yesterday on the opening day of the 150th Test Match to be staged on the ground as England fought back strongly thanks to Ollie Robinson with a triple wicket maiden (4 for 10) thwarted the New Zealand tourists after England had been dismissed for 140. In total 16 wickets fell in 59 overs for 201 runs on the day as New Zealand ended the day on 61 for 6 at the close of play.
England had made a disastrous start to the home Test summer at Lord’s against New Zealand on the first day of the three Test Rothesay Series as Ben Stokes’ side went from 31 for 1 with Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell settled to 34 with 4 in the space of 19 balls to 34 for 4 with Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell and Joe Root all back in the Pavilion. Other than Harry Brook with 56 it was New Zealand who controlled the first day knocking England over for 140 all out in 39.4 overs with Kyle Jamieson bagged 5 for 62, Nathan Smith 3 for 38 and Will Rourke 2 for 25. It was Kyle Jamieson’s 6th 5 wicket haul in Tests.
Earlier in a rain affected day, New Zealand’s bowling attack carried out the damage of England’s innings in style with Kyle Jamieson, Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke causing havoc. Matt Henry only lasted 4 overs before he was taken out of the attack due to injury.
England opener Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett opened for England in the 1st Test Match in bright June sunshine at Lord’s in the 150th Test Match to have been played on the hallowed turf of the famous old cricket ground in London NW8.
Emilio Gay who was presented ahead of the game by Sir Alaistair Cook a fellow former Bedford School student with his England cap. Sadly, Gay, was out cheaply on debut when the total had reached 16 for 1 from 5.3 overs when he edged Kyle Jamieson to Daryl Mitchell at first slip when he had scored 8 runs from just 14 balls. It was a particularly good delivery from Jamieson.
England reached 24 for 1 after 10 overs when the first rain of the day came with Duckett 12 and Bethell 4 after just 10 overs. Kyle Jamieson was 5-0-16-1 at the time of the wicket. Bethell, who scored 154 in his last Test innings in Sydney was a shadow of that knock today as he was undone cheaply.
England then lost Ben Duckett for 19 lbw to Nathan Smith for 19 from 37 balls with two 4’s when the total was 31 for 2 after 11.3 overs. The exciting Jacob Bethell who was playing his first first-class match at Lord’s was next to be dismissed lbw to Will O’Rourke who was causing havoc in his first match at Lord’s for 6 from 22 balls when the total had only increased by just 2 runs more to 33 for 3 after 12.4 overs.
England’s greatest batsman of all time, the ultimate performer at Test level, Joe Root was caught behind by Tom Blundell off the excellent Will O’Rourke who was bowling from the Pavilion End as Root feathered a fine edge through to the wicketkeeper and was gone for only 1 from 8 balls when the total was 34 for 4 after 14.4 overs.
New Zealand bowlers made the best of the conditions as one would expect the dull and rainy weather in NW8 was like that of home for their pace attack. Jamie Smith left a delivery from Jamieson, and his off stump was uprooted for 1 from 7 balls when the total was 55 for 5.
Harry Brook played fluently after the fall of wickets and struck Jamieson for several hefty blows and the he and captain Ben Stokes took the total to 94 for 6 before the England captain was extremely well caught in the slips by Kane Williamson with a wonderful one handed catch off the bowling of Kyle Jamieson for 12 from 23 balls with two 4’s. Jamieson at the time was 3 for 43.
Harry Brook achieved his half century from 64 balls with nine 4’s off the bowling of Kyle Jamieson in the 31st over. Gus Atkinson was lbw to Kyle Jamieson for 4 from 11 balls when England had reached 108 for 7 after 31 overs. Jamieson was then 4 for 50. England’s innings continued to disappoint as Harry Brook was caught at fine leg in front of the Warner Stand by Kyle Jamieson off Nathan Smith for 56 runs from 71 balls with ten boundary 4’s when the total had reached 113 for 8. Brook had been dropped earlier in his innings on 8 by Devon Conway at point and on 46 by Rachin Ravindra at deep midwicket.
Josh Tongue was then joined by Ollie Robinson, and the pair took the total to 111 for 8 from 33 overs at the tea interval with Tongue on 4 and Robinson on 1. At tea Jamieson 4/50, O’Rourke 2/19 and Smith 2/36 were in control with the ball.
When play resumed after tea England only added 7 runs before Ollie Robinson was caught behind by Tom Blundell off the bowling of Kyle Jamieson (who had then bagged five wickets) for 1 from 5 balls when the total was 118 for 9 after 33.3 overs.
Shoaib Bashir was the last batter out for 14 from 19 balls with a single boundary 4 when the total was 140 all out in 39.4 overs. Josh Tongue was on 10 when the last wicket fell. Kyle Jamieson bagged 5 for 62, Nathan Smith 3 for 38 and Will Rourke 2 for 25. It was Kyle Jamieson’s 6th five wicket haul in Tests and it was England’s lowest total in a Test innings against New Zealand at Lord’s.
New Zealand commenced their 1st innings just after 17.30 pm with 33 overs to be bowled. New Zealand lost their first wicket at 2 when Devon Conway was lbw to Ollie Robinson on his return to Test Cricket for 1 after a DRS review which was given after umpire’s call.
Kane Williamson followed two balls later for a duck after he was caught at short square leg by Emilio Gay off Ollie Robinson for 0 as New Zealand were 2 for 2 then Rachin Ravindra went first ball lbw to Robinson with his next ball for 0 as New Zealand slumped to 2 for 3 after just 12 balls.
Ollie Robinson was on fire bowling from the Nursery End with a triple wicket maiden on his return to Test Cricket. Three further wickets fell before the close of play as captain Tom Latham was lbw to Gus Atkinson for 3 when the New Zealand total was 12 for 4 after 6.4 overs.
Daryl Mitchell was bowled by Ollie Robinson for 12 from 23 balls when the New Zealand total was 20 for 5 after 10 overs and then Tom Blundell was bowled by Josh Tongue for 4 when the total was 29 for 6.
New Zealand’s lowest innings total at Lord’s was 47 in 1958 and looked at 29 for 6 things looked bad. However, Glenn Phillips 31 not out and Nathan Smith 6 not out steadied the innings as the tourists ended the opening day on 61 for 6 after 19.2 overs when the players left the first just after 7.20 pm due to bad light.
Ollie Robinson ended the day with 4 for 10 from his six overs with three maidens. Atkinson had taken 1 for 8 and Tongue 1 for 22.
Rod Tucker the Tasmanian umpire officiated in his 100th Test Match in the 150th Lord’s Test.
It was a riveting opening day at Lord’s for bowlers but not for the batters as New Zealand ended on 61 for 6 from 19.2 overs trailing England on 1st innings by 79 runs.
