The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsEngland recovered from a dreadful start in the Investec First Test against New Zealand, after a first hour that saw the England top order crumble to 30-4, before half-centuries from Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler saw England post 354-7
With off the field news dominating the England cricket team in recent weeks since their return from the West Indies and with the continuation of the Kevin Pietersen saga still fresh in the minds of the cricketing public, it was back to match action for Alistair Cook’s England as they handed debuts to opener Adam Lyth of Yorkshire and fast bowler Mark Wood from Durham.
New Zealand, with many of their players fresh from IPL action, saw Martin Guptill named in the side alongside Tom Latham at the top of the order with BJ Watling continuing behind the stumps with captain Brendon McCullum preferring to run the side from the field. McCullum also handed a debut to seamer Matt Henry.
Lyth was thrust straight into the action as New Zealand won the toss and inserted England into bat at Lords and the Yorkshire opener with a first-class average of just over 43, got off the mark with the first ball of the game with a quick single.
With the ball hooping around under cloud cover, Lyth was the first to go with the faintest of nicks through to keeper Watling with Tim Southee the bowler inducing the edge. The new England opener thought about reviewing but chose not too and both snicko and hotspot confirmed the edge as he departed for just 7.
Gary Ballance was next at the wicket but despite getting off the mark with his first ball, he was soon back in the pavilion this time Trent Boult securing the edge to third slip where Southee took an excellent low catch, with the England number three scoring just 1 run.
England were in major trouble just moments later as debutant Matt Henry got under pressure England captain Cook for 16 with a surprise short ball, with the nick carrying through to Watling behind the stumps to leave England struggling at 25-3.
You could understand why New Zealand had put England into bat when Ian Bell was bowled by a jaffa from Henry and at 30-4 you could hear the murmurings of faint calls for Pietersen’s return in the air. At the other end, England’s player of the year Joe Root was looking busy at the crease and was showing intent was the way to play on this Lord’s pitch.
Indeed both Root and Ben Stokes counter-attacked and took the game to New Zealand going at over 7 an over at one point, with both batsman going after anything short and wide. Root survived a close review from New Zealand just before lunch when he missed a sweep with umpire Erasmus giving the in-form England batsman not out, which McCullum reviewed only for umpire’s call to save the Yorkshire player as England reached 113-4 at lunch with Stokes on 36 and Root on 49.
The attacking impetus continued after the lunch break with Root getting the single he needed to get to his half-century with Stokes following not long after for his own half-century. New Zealand were still creating chances with the ball still hopping around and a couple of edges falling short of the slips.
Stokes began to dominate the New Zealand bowling hitting Henry for 15 off one over including a pull for 6 as he raced towards his century but he fell 8 run short on 92 when he left a straight one from spinner Mark Craig, who was rewarded for continuing to plug away on a surface that was flattening and beginning to offer little.
Jos Buttler joined Root at the crease but the attacking batsman chose to play second fiddle to the England number four as the Yorkshireman entered into the nineties before he too fell short of his century departing for 98 after under edging a wide Henry delivery that stand-in keeper Latham, behind the stumps for the injured Watling, scooped up just before it hit the turf.
England’s long batting line-up was working to its advantage with Moeen Ali in at number eight, not a position he has batted in often for either England or Worcestershire. Ali would survive a couple of close LBW appeals including a review that went the way of the English spinner and ultimately cost New Zealand their second review.
Both Buttler and Ali were to keep the score ticking along nicely taking advantage of better conditions with the new ball looming and wicket-keeper Buttler brought up his half-century as New Zealand began to toil in the field.
Buttler would succumb to the last ball of the day LBW to Trent Boult, whilst Ali ended unbeaten on 49 with the day certainly England’s despite their horrendous top order collapse and the last ball loss of Buttler. The pressure would have significantly lifted off both Strauss and Cook’s shoulders but England will want to push on towards 500 tomorrow, piling the pressure on visiting skipper McCullum.
England Player of the Day – Ben Stokes – Tough choice between Root and Stokes but we have gone for the flame-haired Durham boy whose 92 off 94 balls enabled England to gain the upper hand after a nightmare first hour.
New Zealand Player of the Day – Matt Henry – Kept plugging away and was rewarded with the wickets of Cook, Root and the exquisite dismissal of Ian Bell.
Ball of the Day – Matt Henry bowled a beauty to Bell to remove the experienced batsman with the ball holding its line, inducing the drive before a touch of movement sent the experienced Englishman back to the pavilion.
Shot of the Day – Stokes was in imperious form throughout his innings and after lunch and pulled a Matt Henry short ball into the stands for a maximum as the Durham all-rounder began to assert his dominance.
