Black Caps beaten by 115 runs in first test against England on lousy Lord’s pitch

Monday, 8 June 2026

England wrapped up a comprehensive 115-run victory over New Zealand before lunch on Day 4 of the first cricket test at Lord’s, securing a positive start to their series.

The Black Caps suffered a rapid batting collapse, losing their final five wickets inside the first two hours of play on Sunday morning to be bowled out for just 138.

Seamer Ollie Robinson was named man of the match after a stellar return to the England side, claiming seven total wickets including three during a dominant opening over.

The match was the second-shortest completed test in Lord's history, played on an unexpected, bowler-friendly surface where 24 of the dismissals were bowled or lbw.

First test at Lord’s, London: England 140 and 226 beat New Zealand 113 and 138 (Glenn Phillips 44no, Devon Conway 41; Gus Atkinson 5-30, Ollie Robinson 2-38, Josh Tongue 2-48) by 115 runs. Full scoreboard here

The home of cricket was not welcoming to the Black Caps.

New Zealand were beaten by 115 runs in the first test at Lord's after being dismissed for 138 in their second innings overnight.

Resuming at 55-5, with minimal hope of a comeback victory, the visiting side's batters had barely any chance to do so as the Lord's pitch again played tricks that were nigh impossible to solve.

That was the biggest factor in the test being the second-shortest at the London venue in its lengthy history in terms of balls bowled - 996, the third-fewest for any men's test match where both teams were bowled out in both innings.

Wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell perished early to a ball which cut back dramatically and kept low, trapping him lbw.

Glenn Phillips, who was resigned to laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation at times with the unplayable deliveries he faced, struck out in defiance with no shortage of ability. He ended unbeaten on 44, with seven fours and a six, and again pressed a case to bat ahead of Blundell at No.6.

Opener Devon Conway, who pursued a more defensive approach, was dropped on 22 by Harry Brook high at second slip and eventually perished for a dogged 41 from 91 deliveries - only debutant England opener Emilio Gay faced more balls in an innings in the test in his second bat.

Twenty-four wickets fell either bowled or lbw - a record for a test in England. After two years on the outer, England seamer Ollie Robinson relished the pitch present to return match figures of 7-77, while Gus Atkinson became the fourth consecutive bowler in the encounter to take a five-wicket innings bag, with 5-30 from 11.3 overs in NZ’s second dig.

Matt Henry was the last man out, barely able to bend after suffering a back problem bowling on day one, and has to be in doubt for the remainder of the series, with spin bowling allrounder Mitchell Santner a possible replacement in the XI, with Blair Tickner and Ben Sears the pace options.

Both teams' batting line-ups will be hoping for - and expecting - friendlier, flatter conditions in the second test starting on Wednesday week at The Oval.

However, New Zealand will now do so from a position of playing catch-up in the three-game series, and having seen their World Test Championship final hopes also take a blow.