England’s new era started with an all-too-familiar batting collapse as Ben Stokes’ side crumbled to 116 for 7 after skittling out New Zealand for 132 on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s.
New captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum took over an England side with 11 defeats and just one win in their last 17 matches. The hosts were full of confidence with the ball as they razed the reigning World Test champions in exactly 40 overs with debutant Matthew Potts snaring 4 for 13 and the recalled James Anderson 4 for 66.
However, they wilted with the bat after a 59-run opening stand between Zak Crawley (43) and Alex Lees (25) was snapped, losing seven wickets for 41 runs before closing with 16 runs in arrears.
Stokes (1) was caught behind ninth ball and former skipper Joe Root (11) steered into the hands of gully, with new No. 3 Ollie Pope (7) and Jonny Bairstow (1), who was preferred to the in-form Harry Brook at No. 5, also falling cheaply.
New Zealand were 45 for 7 at one stage but reached 132 thanks principally to Colin de Grandhomme (42 not out) before Stokes bagged the final Black Caps wicket on a day dominated by the seamers.
Jamieson removed Pope for seven in his first innings at No. 3 and Colin De Grandhomme dismissed Root for 11 when the former captain’s trademark back-foot punch was well caught by Southee at gully.
Southee trapped Lees leg before for 25 and Stokes was caught behind, the skipper walking off angrily after scoring one run off nine balls.
Boult removed Bairstow and debutant Potts in the same over as England’s batting crumbled in similar fashion to their recent series defeats in the West Indies and Australia. Ben Foakes, on six, and Stuart Broad (4) will resume the innings on the second day.
Earlier, England’s impressive bowling and slick catching helped them bundle out New Zealand inside two sessions following Kane Williamson’s decision to bat first. Potts removed Williamson for two to claim his first Test victim and Anderson picked up two early wickets and two more in the second session.
Broad, second on England’s all-time list of Test wicket-takers behind Anderson, also took a wicket and Stokes bagged the final one to end New Zealand’s disappointing innings. De Grandhomme’s unbeaten 42 helped New Zealand recover from 39 for 6 at lunch after only two of their top six reached double figures, and Southee contributed a useful 26.
Lord’s paid tribute to former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne when play was paused in the 23rd over of New Zealand’s innings for 23 seconds of applause. Warne, who wore the No. 23 on his ODI shirt, died in March at the age of 52.
(Written with Reuters inputs)
