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The Black Caps total, however, was an improvement on their first-innings 113, with recalled seamer Ollie Robinson returning his Test-best figures of 5-39.<\/p>\n
A pitch of variable bounce in what was the 150th Test staged at Lord\u2019s — the most at any ground — made life difficult for batsmen.<\/p>\n
There were only two individual fifties in the whole match at the north London venue, both from England, with Harry Brook making 56 and Emilio Gay an admirable 57 on Test debut in the hosts\u2019 first and second innings respectively.<\/p>\n
By the time Gus Atkinson dismissed Matt Henry to finish things off on Sunday, just 996 balls had been bowled in four innings — the fewest for a completed Test at Lord\u2019s, the self-styled \u2018Home of Cricket\u2019, since 1888.<\/p>\n
The first day alone saw 16 wickets fall, with Stokes telling reporters after England went 1-0 up in a three-match series: \u201cIf you are there on day one, you have had a great time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWickets falling, balls flying everywhere… with 16 wickets and 200 runs being scored, it\u2019s a good day out.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it was an inconsistent pitch. As someone who believes Test cricket is the best format and should never disappear, that is not ideal…It\u2019s not just the case that players have lost the ability to dig in.\u201d <\/p>\n
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 07: Ben Stokes, the England captain, talks to England coach, Brendon McCullum after their victory during day four of the 1st Rothesay test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Ground on June 07, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
New Zealand captain Tom Latham said: \u201cThe curators (ground staff), I\u2019m sure they didn\u2019t think that the wicket was going to play like that and we certainly didn\u2019t think the wicket was going to play like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut both teams were faced with the same conditions… There were two quality attacks bowling on that surface and they (England) were able to exploit the conditions perfectly.\u201d<\/p>\n
– \u2018Not good enough\u2019 –<\/p>\n
Former England captains Nasser Hussain was scathing about the quality of the pitch, telling Sky Sports: \u201cI can tell you as a batter, nothing is worse (than) up-and-down bounce.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThis ground has got so much going for it…but the bit in the middle (the pitch) is the most important bit and it\u2019s not good enough at the moment.\u201d <\/p>\n
Hussain\u2019s successor as England captain Michael Vaughan was even more brutal in his assessment of the Lords surface.<\/p>\n