Where New Zealand lost the first Test vs England

Riding on former captain Joe Root’s 26th Test century, England defeated New Zealand in the first Test at the Lord’s Stadium in London. The hosts lead the three-match series 1-0. 

Root slammed 115 runs off 170 balls with the help of 12 boundaries. He and Ben Foakes stitched a 120-run stand in the second innings after England were down at 69/4. Ben Stokes and co chased down a 277-run total in 78.5 overs. 

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Coming into the Test match, England had won only one out of their last 17 Tests. Joe Root stepped down as skipper and Ben Stokes replaced him. Brendon McCullum was appointed as the new coach for the Test side. 

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The Stokes-McCullum era started off on a positive note. But where did Kane Williamson, reigning World Test Championship winners, lose the game?

New Zealand’s chances were hurt on Day 3. Their lead had swelled past 220 runs. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell had stitched a 200-run plus stand. 

Early on Day 3, after rain had delayed the start, the English pacers, led by the likes of Stuart Broad and James Anderson, struck early. The hosts removed six Kiwi batters withing 34 runs. 

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New Zealand were cruising at 251/4 before Broad struck twice in the 84th over and England affected a run out to ground them to 251/7. The Kiwis were eventually bowled out for 285. 

Three key Kiwi batters – Mitchell, Colin de Grandhomme and Kyle Jamieson – were all gone in one over. 

de Grandhomme had a brain fade moment with the bat. Broad got the ball to nip back and it hit the Kiwi on the pads. A huge appeal distracted Grandhomme, who took a couple strides without seeing where the ball was. Surrey’s Ollie Pope, at gully, hit the stumps.

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After posting a 277-run target for Stokes and co to chase, New Zealand took four wickets for 69 runs. However, the English skipper was dismissed off a no-ball by de Grandhomme and then he went to smash his 27th Test half-century in 106 balls. He hit spinner Ajaz Patel for two maximums and one boundary in the 49th over, which went for 17 runs.

Stokes gave the English innings some much-needed momentum. It was pure Root show thereafter. The 31-year-old and Foakes made sure the Kiwis did not get a wicket on Day 4.