06/07/26 07:06:00
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06/07 07:04 CDT England's Bazball reset begins with 115-run win over New
Zealand early on Day 4 at Lord's
England's Bazball reset begins with 115-run win over New Zealand early on Day 4
at Lord's
LONDON (AP) --- England wrapped up a 115-run victory over New Zealand before
lunch on Day 4 of the first cricket test at Lord's on Sunday, marking a
positive start to its "Bazball" reset after the Ashes humiliation Down Under.
Resuming on 55-5 and requiring 254 for an unlikely win, New Zealand lost its
remaining five wickets inside the first two hours of play and was dismissed for
138.
England pacer Gus Atkinson finished with team-best figures of 5-30 on what has
been a bowler-friendly surface at the home of cricket that has seen 24 batters
out bowled or lbw, and no spinners getting a single delivery.
Glenn Phillips was New Zealand's top scorer on 44 not out, the best of a
disappointing test for the tourists.
This first test series of the summer has been regarded as a fresh start for
England and its under-pressure leadership after a 4-1 loss to Australia during
an Ashes tour featuring reports of excessive drinking and when England was
accused of slack preparation and a wrong tactical approach.
The headline selections early in this second iteration of "Bazball" under coach
Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes were opener Emilio Gay and seam bowler
Ollie Robinson --- and both delivered.
With a second-innings 57, Gay had the highest individual score from either team
on his test debut. Robinson, recalled for the first time since 2024 when he was
dropped over misgivings about his fitness and attitude, took seven wickets in
the match (5-39 and 2-38).
However, given the state of the pitch, perhaps little should be gleaned from a
match that lasted 166 overs, making it the second shortest completed test of
the record 150 to take place at Lord's.
"It's a surface that we weren't expecting," New Zealand captain Tom Latham
said. "I don't think anybody expected a surface like that."
McCullum said it was a "challenging" surface but was happy to see how his team
adapted and executed what he described as a "low-scoring shootout."
"We were brave at times and calculated at other times," England's New
Zealand-born coach said.
The second test of the three-match series is across London at The Oval,
starting June 17.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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