![\"Ali](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Ali_martin3,_L.png\")
Ali Martin<\/p>\nKey events<\/p>\n
Ali Martin<\/p>\n
It took two years for Ollie Robinson to force his way back into the England set-up and then about five minutes to win over their supporters. \u00adSteaming in from the Nursery End, \u00adRobinson produced a devastating three-wicket first over \u2013 and four overall \u2013 to cap an absurd opening day against New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Some 16 wickets fell across only 60 overs of rain-affected play and, if this Test was being played in Australia, the groundsman might be feeling twitchy about having to give a press conference on Saturday. The pitch may ease up before then, even if the quicks on both sides will be hoping it stays just as fruity.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n We\u2019ll have Ali Martin\u2019s report on the site shortly. For now, I\u2019ll leave the final word to Rory McIlroy<\/a>. Goodnight!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.34 EDT<\/p>\n A smiling Ollie Robinson speaks to Sky Sports<\/p>\n double quotation markIt was a pretty remarkable day. When we looked at the pitch this morning, we thought it would play a lot better than it did. They bowled really well and we knew we had to follow suit \u2013 to get them six-down at the end is a great effort from everyone.<\/p>\n [After all the work you had to put in, how special has today been?] Yeah, really special. I can\u2019t really put it into words; it feels a bit surreal. Couldn\u2019t have dreamt it to be honest. It\u2019s just so good to be back.<\/p>\n [Did you ever think you\u2019d get back or were there doubts?] There were obviously doubts, yeah. At Christmas, I thought I was never playing for England again, so to get back in and to have the support of everyone up there has been amazing.<\/p>\n [On his name being chanted by the Lord\u2019s crowd] I couldn\u2019t hear much to be honest! I was in a bit of a daze, just trying to focus and keep as calm as possible.<\/p>\n [On his approach with the ball] I was just trying to wobble it and hit a full length. This pitch reacts better when you try to wobble it; the swing seems to die in the wicket a little bit. It was my day \u2013 two of the decision we\u2019re umpire\u2019s call, which sometimes doesn\u2019t go your way.<\/p>\n [Why were you bowling at the Nursery End this time?] Erm, there\u2019s a guy called Gus Atkinson up there, he got 12-for last time! He had choice of ends and I\u2019d have bowled wherever the skipper asked me.<\/p>\n [A five-for would be nice tomorrow\u2026] Yeah definitely: five-for, get them mopped up quickly and get the batting boots on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Stumps: New Zealand trail by 79 runs<\/p>\n Quite the first day at Lord\u2019s, where there were 59 overs, 201 runs and 16 wickets. The star was Ollie Robinson, who started his much-hyped comeback with \u2013 and I still can\u2019t believe I\u2019m typing this \u2013 a triple-wicket maiden. But manyt of the seamers had a day out, including Kyle Jamieson (5 for 62), Nathan Smith (3 for 38) and the brilliant Will O\u2019Rourke (2 for 25).<\/p>\n The two best innings of the day were the most aggressive, Harry Brook\u2019s 56 from 71 balls and Glenn Phillips\u2019 unbeaten 31 from 34.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Bad light stops play<\/p>\n 19.2 overs: New Zealand 61-6 (Phillips 31, Smith 6) After two balls of Stokes\u2019 fourth over, the umpires check the light and take the players off. That\u2019ll be it for the day.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 19th over: New Zealand 61-6 (Phillips 31, Smith 6) Phillips\u2019 counter-attack has changed the mood, and right now \u2013 with around 15 minutes remaining tonight \u2013 New Zealand look comfortable.<\/p>\n \u201cBit early handing this in, sorry,\u201d writes Kimberley Thonger, who has sent in the 2000-word essay I requested a few overs ago. The most depressing thing is, at first glance it looks better than anything I\u2019ve written since 2019.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 18th over: New Zealand 57-6 (Phillips 31, Smith 2) Phillips turns a loose ball from Stokes to fine leg for four. New Zealand have doubled their score since the loss of the sixth wicket. Well, Phillips has \u2013 he\u2019s scored 26 of the 29 runs and faced 26 of the 30 deliveries in this partnership with Smith.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.13 EDT<\/p>\n 17th over: New Zealand 51-6 (Phillips 25, Smith 2) A truly disgusting lifter from Tongue is defended brilliantly by Phillips, who gets his head out of Dodge but still manages to get his hands high enough to drop the ball safely on the off side.<\/p>\n He\u2019s beaten by the next two balls, mind. It\u2019s an occupational hazard for batters at Lord\u2019s today.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A fantastic stat from Tim<\/p>\n England\u2019s three best bowlers of the 21st century (by average; min 20 wickets) are all playing in this game<\/a>. Please explore this in a 2000-word essay to be in my inbox by 9am tomorrow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.15 EDT<\/p>\n 16th over: New Zealand 49-6 (Phillips 24, Smith 1) Phillips continues his compelling counter-attack with two excellent boundaries off Stokes, a scrunch down the ground and a back-foot force through the covers. Batting like this when your team are 30 for 6 tasks some nerve, even when you know it\u2019s probably the best approach.<\/p>\n \u201cShould we speculate yet on the size of the first innings lead the Kiwis have by lunch tomorrow?\u201d wonders Kimberley Thonger.<\/p>\n Only if we\u2019re doing it in the spirit of Clockwise<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.04 EDT<\/p>\n 15th over: New Zealand 40-6 (Phillips 16, Smith 0) Phillips pulls Tongue superbly round the corner for four. He\u2019s not going to sit and wait for a ball with his name on it, and he gets four more with a flashing back cut. He has 16 from 17 balls.<\/p>\n As John Starbuck mentioned in the sixth over of this innings, the forecast is better tomorrow so we could be heading for England\u2019s third two-day Test in the last six. And two-day Tests can be won by cameos.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 14th over: New Zealand 32-6 (Phillips 8, Smith 0) Stokes replaces Robinson, who bowled a glorious spell of 6-3-10-4. His grandkids will never hear the end of it. A sharp first over from Stokes finishes with a ludicrous 88mph legbreak that beats Nathan Smith.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought the point about the phrase \u2018Nude Nuts\u2019 was that when they\u2019re Nude, they\u2019re not moving?\u201d writes Ian Mallender. \u201cThese are Fully Clothed Nuts.\u201d<\/p>\n You might be right. At first I thought Matthew Hayden was referring to Robinson\u2019s speed (\u201c124kph nude nuts\u201d) but on reflection I think that was an additional layer of criticism. In which case, today\u2019s nuts were dressed by Tom Ford.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.55 EDT<\/p>\n 13th over: New Zealand 28-6 (Phillips 5, Smith 0) That was Tongue\u2019s 50th Test wicket; he\u2019s taken them at a startling strike-rate of 39.40. To put that in context, Jasprit Bumrah\u2019s is 42.86.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! New Zealand 29-6 (Blundell b Tongue 4)<\/p>\n Josh Tongue sends Tom Blundell\u2019s off stump flying with a 90mph ripper. Blundell played the wrong line, but that can happen against Tongue and it was still a very good delivery.<\/p>\n Josh Tongue gets in on the act. Photograph: Graham Hunt\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.53 EDT<\/p>\n 12th over: New Zealand 24-5 (Blundell 4, Phillips 1) Blundell gets a thick edge off Robinson that bounces short of gully and is half stopped by the diving Bethell. Ben Stokes is warming up, so that might be Robinson done for this spell.<\/p>\n \u201cOllie Robinson\u2019s average has just dropped below Big Vern Philander\u2019s,\u201d notes Gary Naylor. \u201cThat\u2019s pleasing.\u201d<\/p>\n I bet Vern would clean up on this pitch, even at the age of 40. In fact, I\u2019d fancy 50-year-old Darren Stevens\u2019 chances. And as for that bloke at Lancashire.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.50 EDT<\/p>\n 11th over: New Zealand 21-5 (Blundell 2, Phillips 0) Tongue rams in a yorker that is beautifully defended by Blundell.<\/p>\n Incidentally, Robinson celebrated his last wicket by giving Mitchell a bit of a verbal send-off. It all looked fine, and it\u2019s good to see he still has plenty of what Steve Waugh used to call \u201cmongrel\u201d. Even when he\u2019s bowling nude nuts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.42 EDT<\/p>\n 10th over: New Zealand 20-5 (Blundell 2, Phillips 0) Ollie Robinson\u2019s figures are 5-3-7-4. Thing is, he\u2019s still bowling nude nuts<\/a>, and yes that link is safe for work. But when the ball moves this much, they are nigh-on unplayable even at 80mph.<\/p>\n Even, what the hell am I talking about.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.38 EDT<\/p>\n WICKET! New Zealand 20-5 (Mitchell b Robinson 12)<\/p>\n Four wickets for Ollie Robinson! Mitchell shoulders arms to another gorgeous nipbacker that pings the top of off stump.<\/p>\n Top of off stump \u2013 that\u2019s where Robinson lives, today and every day, and for some reason it\u2019s gone a bit damp again.<\/p>\n Ollie Robinson strikes again! Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.43 EDT<\/p>\n 9.3 overs: New Zealand 20-4 (Mitchell 12, Blundell 2) Robinson goes wider on the crease to beat Mitchell for the umpteenth time. Even allowing for conditions that could have been custom-made for him, Robinson has bowled majestically.<\/p>\n Mitchell tries to smear Robinson off his line but can only cloth the ball into the ground. He\u2019s broken his bat, in fact, so the umpires are going to call for drinks. Play can continue until 7.30pm local time, weather permitting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 9th over: New Zealand 20-4 (Mitchell 12, Blundell 2) Josh Tongue, one of the few good things about England\u2019s Ashes FFSilis, comes on for Atkinson. He ends a relatively quiet first over \u2013 relatively \u2013 by beating Blundell with a jaffa. That could eaisly have taken the outside edge of the bat or the off stump.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the punctuation before bloody hell (3rd over)\u201d begins Tim de Lisle, \u201cthe late great Paddy Barclay went for a dash<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.26 EDT<\/p>\n 8th over: New Zealand 17-4 (Mitchell 11, Blundell 0) Robinson tries a surprise short ball that is savaged for four by Mitchell. No need to bowl that length in these conditions, so maybe it just slipped out of the hand.<\/p>\n A more familiar delivery snakes past Mitchell\u2019s outside edge. Robinson now has figures of 4-2-7-3, which is coincidentally the formation Florentino Perez and Jose Mourinho plan to play at Real Madrid next season.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.20 EDT<\/p>\n 7th over: New Zealand 12-4 (Mitchell 6, Blundell 0) Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell batted magnificently together in England four years ago, adding 724 runs across three Tests<\/a>. They might be happy to add seven tonight.<\/p>\n Blundell is sent back by Mitchell and makes his ground before Atkinson\u2019s throw hits the stumps.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.18 EDT<\/p>\n WICKET! New Zealand 12-4 (Latham LBW b Atkinson 3)<\/p>\n Gus Atkinson joins the orgy of wickets. Latham pushed outside the line of another terrific nipbacker that thudded into the bad. Adrian Holdstock raised the finger straight away, and Latham\u2019s hopeful review was unsuccesful.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the 14th wicket of the day; we haven\u2019t even had 50 overs.<\/p>\n Gus Atkinson gets in on the act as Latham goes for 3. Photograph: Graham Hunt\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.16 EDT<\/p>\n Sky have just shown a lovely slow-motion replay of Ollie Robinson\u2019s third wicket. He was imploring Rod Tucker to give Ravindra LBW, then turned round towards the slip cordon to plead for a review. As he did so, Tucker raised his finger and Robinson saw the decision on the faces of his team-mates.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6th over: New Zealand 10-3 (Latham 3, Mitchell 5) Mitchell walks at Robinson and is beaten outside off stump. He reaches the obvious conclusion \u2013 \u2018sod this for a lark\u2019 \u2013 and tries to get down the other end asap. The result is a crazy run on the off side and a missed run-out chance. Latham wasn\u2019t even in the picture when Stokes\u2019 throw missed the stumps. Gay could have backed up but decided to retreat in case there were potential overthrows.<\/p>\n Robinson trampolines another brilliant delivery past Latham, who then takes a more considered single on the off side.<\/p>\n \u201cCould it be that, as Friday is likely to be the best day weatherwise, both sides hope to finish the match by this time tomorrow?\u201d says John Starbuck.<\/p>\n Two-day Tests are so damn hot right now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 5th over: New Zealand 8-3 (Latham 2, Mitchell 4) These are horrible batting conditions, as they have been all day. Never mind Harry Brook\u2019s blistering 56; right now Shoaib Bashir\u2019s 14 feels like a serious knock.<\/p>\n Mitchell almost falls to Atkinson when an inside-edge bounces just short of Gay at short leg. \u201cI don\u2019t often feel sorry for batters but my goodness me this pitch is moving today!\u201d chirps Stuart Broad on Sky Sports.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4th over: New Zealand 5-3 (Latham 2, Mitchell 2) Robinson\u2019s pace is around 80mph. The problem for New Zealand is that he\u2019s bowling 80mph legbreaks \u2013 and he has a googly.<\/p>\n Latham plays and misses before turning Robinson this far short of Stokes at leg slip. That\u2019s another refreshingly unorthodox bit of captaincy from Stokes, who wasn\u2019t himself at all in the field in Australia.<\/p>\n Robinson has to settle for a wicketless maiden and figures of 2-2-0-3.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 3.1 overs: New Zealand 5-3 (Latham 2, Mitchell 2) The hat-trick ball is left calmly by Tom Latham.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n With Robinson waiting at the top of his mark, the umpires check the light. Daryl Mitchell tries to get over the field quicksmart, like Alec Stewart at Headingley in 1998, but play will continue\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 3rd over: New Zealand 5-3 (Latham 2, Mitchell 2) No disrespect to Gus Atkinson but who cares.<\/p>\n \u201cThe obligatory\u2026\u201d is the subject of Brian Withington\u2019s email, which reads simply:<\/p>\n double quotation markCricket. Bloody hell.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve always wondered about that phrase \u2013 should there be a full stop, a comma or a question mark before the BH? I used to think a question mark but eventually came round to the comma, and now I have no idea.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 2nd over: New Zealand 2-3 (Latham 1, Mitchell 0) I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever cried this much while watching cricket. Robinson\u2019s absence has been one of the saddest stories in English cricket for decades; there was fault on both sides, probably a fair bit of misunderstanding too. It\u2019s not worth going back over all that, not when he has just bowled probably the greatest comeback over in history.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ravindra is out! He prodded defensively and was beaten by another beautiful bit of seam bowling. This time theer was a slight doubt over height \u2013 but again it was umpire\u2019s call and Ollie Robinson has bowled an over that we will be talking about forever.<\/p>\n Oh, and he\u2019ll be on a hat-trick at the start of the next over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! New Zealand 2-3 (Ravindra LBW b Robinson 0)<\/p>\n DRS permitting, OLLIE ROBINSON HAS BOWLED A TRIPLE-WICKET MAIDEN!<\/p>\n Ollie Robinson! What is happening? Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.01 EDT<\/p>\n Ollie Robinson has figures of 2 for 0! Williamson was beaten first ball, then pushed defensively with hard hands at a nipbacker. The ball hit the pad, looped up and was caught with glee by the diving Emilio Gay. He\u2019d only just been placed at short leg by Ben Stokes, and Robinson ran straight over to Stokes in acknowledgement of his captaincy.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! New Zealand 2-2 (Williamson c Gay b Robinson 0)<\/p>\n Magnificent bowling from Ollie Robinson!<\/p>\n Ollie Robinson is back. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianEmilio Gay takes a catch to dismiss New Zealand\u2019s Kane Williamson off the bowling of Ollie Robinson Photograph: Andrew Boyers\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.02 EDT<\/p>\n It took just three balls for Robinson to strike. The first two took the inside-edge of Conway\u2019s bat; the third seamed back to beat him on the inside and hit the pad. Robinson implored Rod Tucker to give the LBW and was rewarded.<\/p>\n Conway reviewed in the hope it was missing leg \u2013 but it was umpire\u2019s call and Robinson has his 77th Test wicket. I suspect it\u2019s the sweetest of them all. He celebrated with an almighty roar, and to tell you the truth my eyes went a bit damp at that point.<\/p>\n It was close, just clipping leg, but it was also highly skilful bowling from a world-class cricketer.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! New Zealand 2-1 (Conway LBW b Robinson 1)<\/p>\n Ollie Robinson is back, baby!<\/p>\n Ollie Robinson strikes! Photograph: Gareth Copley\/ECB\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.46 EDT<\/p>\n Like Kyle Jamieson, Ollie Robinson is playing his first Test since February 2024. The reasons for their absence are quite different, and probably don\u2019t need exploring any more. It\u2019s just exciting to see such a skilful bowler back in the team.<\/p>\n There was a fascinating and confusing stat on Robinson in this month\u2019s Wisden Cricket<\/a> Monthly. I forget the exact details, but the gist of it is that, he has a significantly better bowling average in Tests when his pace drops below 80mph. Riddle me that.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 1st over: New Zealand 2-0 (Latham 1, Conway 1) Atkinson has bowled the first over of a Test innings on three occasions before today, including both innings of his last appearance at the MCG.<\/p>\n He starts pretty well from the Pavilion End, drawing a thick edge from Latham that is well stopped by Bethell in the gully. Accurate stuff from Atkinson; two singles from the over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The players are back on the field. Gus Atkinson and Ollie Robinson, in that order, will open the bowling to Tom Latham and Devon Conway.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Thanks Tim, hello again. England will hope this match follows a similar pattern to the first Bazball Test against New Zealand on this ground four years ago. But only in the first innings<\/a>.<\/p>\n New Zealand 132 & 285<\/p>\n England 141 & 279-5<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Time for me to hand over again. Thanks for your company, correspondence and waspish remarks about Brendon McCullum, and I\u2019ll leave you with the great Rob Smyth. I\u2019m due back on Sunday, if the game lasts that long.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>England 140 all out!<\/p>\n 40th over (Tongue 12, Bashir c Williamson b Smith 14) England\u2019s last pair stuck around long enough to precipitate a bowling change. Jamieson takes a break (14-0-62-5) and back comes Nathan Smith, whose trajectory is much lower. His first ball goes down the leg side for two byes. Two balls later, Bashir has a heave over the leg side and moves to his highest Test score. Next ball, he hangs his bat out and gets a rather limp edge to third slip.<\/p>\n Kyle Jamieson holds the ball up to the crowd and his team-mates go off feeling that\u2019s a job well done, especially after Matt Henry pulled up lame. Jamieson took 5-62, Smith 3-38 and the fearsome O\u2019Rourke 2-25. So the question is, can Atkinson, Robinson and Tongue return the compliment?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 39th over: England 136-9 (Tongue 12, Bashir 10) O\u2019Rourke continues and Tongue keeps him out, helped by a pair of bouncers, which he ducks, leaving one of these fast bowlers with a glare on his face, the other with a smile.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38th over: England 136-9 (Tongue 12, Bashir 10) Cork could bat a bit and Bashir is threatening to emulate him. Facing Jamieson, he conjures up a tuck for two and a cut for two more. Double figures! He celebrates in true No.11 fashion, with a play-and-miss. The partnership is 18, which makes it the third-highest of the innings.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 37th over: England 132-9 (Tongue 10, Bashir 8) A maiden from O\u2019Rourke, and the stats are piling up: one of the commentators mentions that Bashir is the first Derbyshire player to play for England since Dominic Cork, 24 years ago. No offence to Bashir, but in this predicament, Cork might be more use.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 36th over: England 132-9 (Tongue 10, Bashir 8) Jamieson offers some width and Bashir says thanks very much, flashing for four and driving for two.<\/p>\n Meanwhile Rob has a great spot about Jamieson\u2019s place in history. \u201cHe now has 85 Test wickets at 19.18. The last person to take more Test wickets at a better average was SF Barnes, who played his last Test four months before the death of Franz Ferdinand.\u201d That average may be marginally higher now, but the point probably stands.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35th over: England 126-9 (Tongue 10, Bashir 2) From the Nursery Enf, it\u2019s the alarming Mr O\u2019Rourke. Josh Tongue rises to the challenge with a shovel for two past mid-off and a cover drive, on the up, for four. That makes him the fourth man to reach double figures today, after Duckett, Brook and Stokes. And the second right-hander.<\/p>\n