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Ollie Robinson began England’s Test comeback in stunning style with three wickets in his first over as New Zealand were bowled out for 61-6 in reply to the hosts’ 140 all out on the first day of the men’s international summer at Lord’s on a rain-hit first day.
Robinson, sidelined from the start of 2024 due to fitness problems but now England have removed Devon Conway (1), Kane Williamson (0) and Rachin Ravindra (0) in the space of four balls as they look to regain control of their bowling line-up after the 4-1 Ashes defeat.
The Sussex seamer’s ability was never in doubt – he averaged 76 wickets at 23 under in his first 20 Tests – and he showed it on Thursday in extremely humid conditions, as he helped England dismantle the Black Caps’ top order.
Robinson left Conway and Ravindra lbw to England debutant Emilio Gay with the brilliant Williamson caught at short leg during a triple-wicket-maiden, with Ravindra out in the last delivery of the second over to leave New Zealand 2-3.
The 32-year-old (4-10 off six overs) then played a costly leave to send Daryl Mitchell (12) out, while Gus Atkinson trapped Tom Latham (3) lbw and Josh Tongue knocked off the stumps of Tom Blundell (4) on his 50th Test 1-6 on Day 1 of a closed Test. 79 runs outstanding.
It was a truly frantic start to England’s post-Ashes reset, with Harry Brook (56 off 71 balls) and New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips (31 off 34 balls) the only batsmen to reach 20.
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England suffered a dramatic slump from 31-1 to 34-4 at Lord’s as Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethel and Joe Root fell.
England roll by New Zealand before Robinson shines at Lord’s
Ben Stokes’ side were guilty of a soft dismissal during the drubbing Down Under, much of the talk since then, particularly from head coach Brendon McCullum throughout a series of media assignments over the past week, has been about playing “smart” cricket.
A glance at the scorecard suggests that this did not happen but in 39.4 overs their skittering shots were more damaging than the pinpoint seam attack of their visitors, with Kyle Jamieson (5-62), Nathan Smith (3-38) and Will O’Rourke (2-25) brilliant as Matt restricted them to four quick overs.
Opener Gay (8) avoided a corker from Jamieson – who picked up his sixth five-wicket haul in just 20 Tests in his first five-day game in more than two years – hitting four off the same bowler’s full toss and then getting to the mark with a delicious boundary through New Zealand’s mid-on in the second over.
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New England opener Emilio Gay hit two boundaries on debut before being caught by the giant New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson.
Brooke, one of those gifted with his wickets in the Ashes, benefited from drops at eight and 45 – Conway, at backward point, and Ravindra, in the deep, respectively, the guilty parties – as he counter-punched from 55-5.
From 31-1, England lost three wickets for three after an initial two-hour rain delay and the hosts were 24-1 after 10 overs – Ben Duckett (19) and Jacob Bethel (2) were pinned lbw and Joe Root (1) went to slip a lifter from O’Rourke.
Jamie Smith (1) then latched on to a delivery from Jamison and flicked his off-stump, while skipper Stokes (12), with whom he swapped places in the batting order, fell to a brilliant one-handed catch from Williamson at slip after Jamison induced the edge.
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New Zealand great Kane Williamson took a stunning one-handed catch at slip to dismiss England captain Ben Stokes for 12 runs.
Jamieson then Atkinson (4) and Robinson (1) accounted for another stoppage due to rain and poor light, when he took a deep fine leg catch to remove Brook after the batter picked up a leg-side delivery from Nathan Smith at his command.
Brook hit 10 boundaries during his half-century, reaching his fifty off 64 deliveries and could prove to be a crucial intervention as this game threatens to turn into a low-scoring one.
Shoaib Bashir (14) and Tongu (10no) added 22 for the final wicket – the second-highest stand of the innings, leaving Brooke and Stokes just 39 behind for the sixth wicket – and then it was up to Robinson to show England what they had been missing.
Robinson: I thought I’d never play for England again
England seam bowler Olly Robinson, speaking to Sky Sports:
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Ollie Robinson reflected a special return to Test cricket, which saw him take four wickets for New Zealand on the first day of the first Test.
“I can’t really put it into words right now. It feels a bit surreal. I couldn’t even dream of it, to be honest. It’s been an amazing few hours, and it’s great to be back.
“Obviously there were doubts. At Christmas I thought, I’ll never play for England again. To come back and have everyone’s support, it was amazing. So special.
“When we looked at the pitch this morning, it looked like it was going to play a lot better than it did. New Zealand certainly bowled really well against us and we knew we had to follow through.
“There was a great effort from everyone to get six down in the end.”
Watch the second day of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s Sky Sports Cricket And main event From 10.15 am on Friday. Didn’t get the sky? Get Sky Sports or Stream with NOW.
