Stunning Robinson return gives life to England

By

Cricket Correspondent astatine Lord's

First Rothesay Test, Lord's (day 1 of five)

England 140: Brook 56; Jamieson 5-62, N Smith 3-38

New Zealand 61-6: Phillips 31*; Robinson 4-10

New Zealand are 79 runs behind

Scorecard

Ollie Robinson took 3 wickets successful his archetypal implicit for England successful much than 2 years to respire beingness into their post-Ashes rebuild connected time 1 of the archetypal Test against New Zealand.

Robinson had been ignored since 2024, including connected the dismal circuit of Australia, but showed England what they person been missing connected an astonishing time erstwhile 16 wickets fell astatine Lord's.

After the location broadside mislaid a important flip and were hustled retired for lone 140, it was captious they made usage of the favourable bowling conditions aft 2 lengthy rainfall delays.

And seamer Robinson did truthful successful sensational fashion. With his 3rd transportation helium trapped Devon Conway lbw then, with the assemblage singing his name, had the large Kane Williamson bat-pad to abbreviated leg.

In an electrical atmosphere, the Sussex seamer completed a triple-wicket maiden by having Rachin Ravindra lbw to the archetypal shot helium faced.

Robinson aboriginal bowled Daryl Mitchell to assertion 4 wickets for 10 runs. When Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue took a wicket apiece, New Zealand were successful tatters astatine 29-6. The Black Caps yet closed connected 61-6 - 79 behind.

It leaves England connected apical of a Test lucifer they could person batted themselves retired of erstwhile they were dismissed wrong 40 overs.

New Zealand accelerated bowler Kyle Jamieson, besides playing his archetypal Test successful much than 2 years aft a drawstring of injuries, was superb successful taking 5-62.

England's attack to batting is truthful often nether scrutiny, but connected this juncture they merit immoderate leeway due to the fact that of the conditions.

In fact, arsenic galore of his team-mates seemed reluctant to instrumentality an attacking approach, it was the aggression of Harry Brook that gave him a priceless 56, albeit successful an innings erstwhile helium was dropped twice.

After 5 months of Ashes post-mortem, this had each the ingredients to heap much misery connected to England, and to heap much unit connected the absorption of Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

On a transportation that had been nether screen for the erstwhile 2 days, nether leaden skies and with showers forecast, England would person been hopeless to triumph the toss. They mislaid and were exposed to the skilful New Zealand attack.

In returning their lowest full successful a location Test since McCullum and Stokes took complaint 4 years ago, England did not self-destruct.

If anything, they were excessively timid. This was an juncture erstwhile McCullum would person been close to impulse his squad to "go harder", arsenic proved by Brook.

For each the attraction connected England's batting, it is the seam bowling that is successful a bigger authorities of flux, and a new-look onslaught had to present connected Thursday evening.

A mediocre league with the caller shot could person gone a agelong mode to settling the Test, adjacent astatine specified an aboriginal stage.

Instead, determination are already similarities to England's past post-Ashes rebuild 4 years ago, connected the aforesaid ground, against the aforesaid opponents.

On time 1 of the archetypal Test against New Zealand, England bowled retired the visitors for 132, lone to beryllium past dismissed for 141. The hosts yet won by 5 wickets, kick-starting the archetypal Bazball summer.

Now, England person a gilt-edged accidental to statesman the latest McCullum-Stokes reset with a desperately needed victory.

For truthful long, it looked arsenic though Robinson would ne'er play for England again, surely nether this regime.

England explained his exile connected grounds of conditioning, connected a inclination to suffer gait oregon hobble retired of matches altogether. His skills were not successful uncertainty - Robinson averaged little than 23 with the shot successful his 20 erstwhile Tests.

Humbled successful Australia and successful request of an onslaught leader, England returned to the 32-year-old. Robinson has benefitted from being fixed the captaincy astatine Sussex and admitted helium has matured. If England had him bowling similar this successful Australia, however antithetic mightiness the Ashes person been?

Bowling the 2nd implicit of the innings, Robinson recovered question down the Lord's slope, into left-hander Conway. After 2 balls, skipper Stokes posted a abbreviated limb and Conway instantly played each astir a afloat ball. Robinson roared with delight, portion Conway was disgruntled to spot the reappraisal showing the shot clipping limb stump.

Robinson's magnitude was immaculate. Facing his 2nd ball, Williamson failed to get acold capable forward, looping the drawback to debutant Emilio Gay astatine abbreviated leg. Ravindra, different left-hander, was pinned by different nip-backer. The sound was deafening.

At 2-3, New Zealand were successful disarray. Captain Tom Latham could person been tally retired by Stokes earlier helium was lbw, getting lone half-forward to Atkinson. Robinson showed his afloat array of skills to find seam question up the slope, bowling Mitchell, who offered nary shot.

When the pacey Tongue castled Tom Blundell, New Zealand were successful information of being dismissed earlier the close. Glenn Phillips' unbeaten 31, supported by Nathan Smith, someway got them done without further loss.

The unthinkable evening league masks questions of England's batting. Not that they were reckless, alternatively arguably excessively passive. Perhaps the disapproval of their attack successful Australia has created doubt.

In England's defence, New Zealand were outstanding, adjacent with Matt Henry constricted to lone 4 overs due to the fact that of a backmost spasm. The touring pacemen were kept caller by the rainfall breaks, moved the shot successful the aerial and disconnected the pitch, and exploited the uneven bounce.

Jamieson got astir reward with his 5-72, yet Smith and Will O'Rourke were conscionable arsenic impressive.

Left-hander Gay drove his archetypal shot successful Test cricket for four, though could bash small against 1 Jamieson got to determination away, different than borderline to archetypal slip.

It was aft a two-hour hold that England truly struggled. Ben Duckett uncharacteristically near 3 of the archetypal 4 balls helium faced, past was lbw to Smith. Jacob Bethell was blameworthy of a escaped thrust to beryllium limb earlier to O'Rourke, who besides produced a quality to find the borderline of Joe Root. Jamie Smith characterised England's timidity, playing not changeable to beryllium bowled by 1 Jamieson got to dart back.

Brook's batting is thing but timid. After 10 balls connected nought helium began the counter, often advancing down the pitch. He should person been caught connected 8 by Conway astatine point, past was severely dropped by Ravindra astatine heavy quadrate limb connected 45.

Brook drove and pulled his mode to a 64-ball half-century, earlier 1 propulsion excessively galore astatine Smith ended successful the hands of agelong leg. Tongue and Shoaib Bashir added 22 for the past wicket, a priceless publication successful the discourse of the match.