England’s Ollie Robinson made a remarkable return to Test cricket after two years by taking four wickets, three of which came in a sensational opening over, leading to New Zealand’s collapse to 61-6 at the end of the day’s play at Lord’s on Thursday. The 150th Test at Lord’s witnessed a dramatic first day with a total of 16 wickets falling before play was cut short due to bad light.
Robinson, who was recalled from Sussex, ended the day with impressive figures of four wickets for just 10 runs in six overs. This Test marks England’s first match since their disappointing Ashes series loss in Australia earlier this year. Despite being bowled out for 140 after losing the toss, England managed to take a lead of 79 runs by the end of the day.
Both teams struggled with the challenging conditions at Lord’s, with even the talented Kane Williamson getting out for a duck to Robinson. Robinson’s exceptional bowling performance included three wickets in four balls in his first over, leaving New Zealand reeling at 2-3.
Reflecting on his performance, Robinson mentioned, “I was just trying to wobble it today and hit that fuller length. I think it was just one of those days in which it was my day, but really special to get those four wickets and put the team in a great position.”
The day also saw Kyle Jamieson of New Zealand taking five wickets, while Harry Brook was the standout performer for England with a gritty knock of 56 runs. Despite the challenging conditions, New Zealand’s bowlers dominated England’s batting lineup, with Matt Henry managing only four overs due to injury.
Debutant Emilio Gay, replacing Zak Crawley, had a brief stint before getting out for eight, while England’s captain Ben Stokes fell for 12 on his birthday. Brook, who was dropped twice, managed to reach a fifty before losing his wicket.
As play was interrupted by bad light, New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips and Nathan Smith held on to prevent further collapse. The match promises to be an intriguing contest as both teams look to gain the advantage in the series opener at Lord’s.