Comeback hero Robinson helps England crush New Zealand in Lord’s rain-hit Test

Ollie Robinson marked his return to Test cricket in style as England beat New Zealand by 115 runs in the rain-affected first Test at Lord’s on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The pace of England’s attack again proved too much for the visitors on a tough surface as they needed less than two hours to complete the formalities on the fourth morning. New Zealand were chasing 254 and resumed at 55 for 5 after rain washed away most of Day 3, but they were bowled out for 138 before lunch.

Gus Atkinson led the attack with figures of 5 for 30, while Robinson and Josh Tongue took two wickets each. Glenn Phillips offered some resistance with an unbeaten 44, but New Zealand’s innings never gained momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals.

The victory was built on England’s dominance of the ball throughout the game, with Robinson proving to be a standout performer on his return. In his first Test in nearly two years, the seamer cruised through New Zealand’s first innings with a memorable triple-wicket maiden, finishing with figures of 5 for 39 as the tourists were dismissed for 113.

New Zealand got off to the perfect start after captain Tom Latham won the toss and opted to bowl. Kyle Jamieson took advantage of the conditions to claim 5 for 62 as England were bowled out for 140 in their first innings. Harry Brook’s 56 was the only score for the hosts.

However, England responded immediately. New Zealand struggled with relentless bowling and were restricted to 113, with Jamieson top-scoring with an unbeaten 38. Robinson’s five-wicket haul gave England a vital first-innings lead and shifted the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts.

England’s batsmen made the most significant contribution to the match in the second innings. Debutant Emilio Gay impressed with a composed 57, while Jamie Smith scored 39 and Ben Duckett added 33 as England posted 226. Nathan Smith kept New Zealand in the contest with excellent figures of 6 for 70, but the target of 254 always looked steep given the conditions.

Rain delayed England’s bid for victory, but only briefly. Once play resumed on Day 4, Atkinson and co wasted little time in completing the chase.

The match lasted just around 167 overs in four innings, making it the second shortest completed Test at Lord’s. The pitch remained under scrutiny throughout, offering significant seam movement and variable bounce that greatly favored fast bowlers.

Four seamers finished with five wickets during the match – Jamieson, Robinson, Nathan Smith and Atkinson – but batting contributions from Brook in the first innings and Gaye in the second ultimately proved decisive in a low-scoring contest.

New Zealand were also left to reflect on missed opportunities in the field, dropping five catches and missing a review that could have removed Gaye at the start of his innings.

In the end, Devon Conway’s 41 and Phillips’ unbeaten 44 were the only notable contributions in New Zealand’s second innings. Eight batsmen failed to reach double figures as Atkinson, Robinson and Tongue completed a comprehensive victory for England.

The second Test of the series will be played at The Oval from June 17.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

07 Jun 2026 17:52 IST