Black Caps top order decimated after rolling England for 140 on first day at Lord’s

Friday, 5 June 2026

New Zealand slumped to 61-6 at stumps on a rain-affected opening day at Lord's after a dramatic batting collapse.

Ollie Robinson tore through the top order, taking three wickets in four balls during his first over to finish the day with figures of 4-10.

Returning from a second back stress fracture, Kyle Jamieson claimed excellent figures of 5-62 to help dismiss England for 140.

Matt Henry managed just four overs before leaving the field with a worrying back spasm.

First test, Lord’s: England 140 all out in 39.4 overs (Harry Brook 56; Kyle Jamieson 5-62, Nathan Smith 3-38) vs New Zealand 61-6 (Glenn Phillips 31 not out; Ollie Robinson 4-10). Click here for full scoreboard.

An initial good day’s work almost wiped out in alarming fashion.

Recalled seamer Ollie Robinson stole the spotlight off returning New Zealand paceman Kyle Jamieson to push the Black Caps once more onto the back foot in a test against England.

Robinson, in his first test since February 2024, took three wickets in four balls in his first over of the first test at Lord’s overnight (NZ time) to reduce the visitors to 3-2.

It didn’t get much better for the Black Caps as three further wickets fell before stumps, but an unbeaten 31 from Glenn Phillips at No.7 did boost them to 61-6 after a a truncated day’s play in London, and with major concerns also over the leader of their quick-bowling unit.

Matt Henry, who missed the one-off test versus Ireland last week with a ‘low-grade’ hamstring injury, bowled just four overs after captain Tom Latham won the toss and opted to bowl before leaving the field with a worrying back spasm.

His absence in England’s first innings wasn’t problematic, as Jamieson grabbed a five-wicket bag and Nathan Smith added three wickets as the home side were dismissed for just 140 in 39.4 overs.

But Robinson, whose test career seemed over two years ago when continuing fitness issues saw him discarded, proved almost unplayable with the new ball under lights on a rain-affected opening day of the three-test series.

The 32-year-old dismissed Devon Conway, Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra with the third, fifth and sixth balls of his first over of NZ’s reply, as his mastery of movement off the seam mystified the visitors.

Earlier, Jamieson captured 5-62 from 14 overs in his return to test cricket after his second back stress fracture.

England’s tally could have been far less had Harry Brook not been dropped twice - the first time on eight - before making 56 from 71 balls.

That came following a sizeable break for rain in the first session, as England slumped from 31-1 to 34-4 in the space of 14 balls, with key batter Joe Root caught behind by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell off Will O’Rourke’s bowling for one.

Tailenders Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir put on 22 for the last wicket - the second-highest stand of the innings - which didn’t appear a great deal at the time - until Robinson’s opening over and the continuing damage after.