Four-wicket Robinson sparks New Zealand collapse in 1st Test after England slump
England's Ollie Robinson marked his first Test for more than two years with four wickets, including three in a sensational opening over, as New Zealand collapsed to 61-6 at stumps at Lord's on Thursday.
This is the 150th Test at Lord's and rarely in the long history of the London ground can the first day have been quite so dramatic, with 16 wickets in total falling before bad light cut short play.
Recalled Sussex seamer Robinson had remarkable figures of four wickets for 10 runs in just six overs at the close in what is England's first Test since their humiliating 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia concluded in January.
England, in the first of a three-match series, led by 79 runs at stumps despite being dismissed for just 140 themselves after losing the toss.
Batsmen on both sides struggled in the overcast, bowler-friendly conditions, with even New Zealand great Kane Williamson, blessed with one of the best defensive techniques of his generation, falling for nought to Robinson.
Robinson's previous 20 Tests had yielded 76 wickets at an impressive average of under 23.
But doubts about his stamina and attitude, if not his skill, mean that this is his first Test since February 2024.
Robinson, bowling the second over of the innings, took three wickets for no runs in four balls to leave New Zealand reeling at 2-3, with the normally reserved Lord's crowd chanting his name.
- 'My day' -
"I was just trying to wobble it today and hit that fuller length," Robinson told Sky Sports.
"I think it was just one of those days in which it was my day, but really special to get those four wickets and put the team in a great position."
The 32-year-old Robinson had Devon Conway lbw with his third ball before removing Williamson and Rachin Ravindra for ducks with the last two balls of his first over.
Williamson was caught off bat and pad as the ball lobbed gently to short leg before Ravindra was lbw to Robinson.
His review failed to overturn the decision of Australian umpire Rod Tucker, standing in his 100th Test.
Gus Atkinson then had New Zealand captain Tom Latham lbw before Robinson bowled Daryl Mitchell.
Fast bowler Josh Tongue bowled Tom Blundell to leave New Zealand reeling at 29-6 in just 13 overs.
Glenn Phillips (31 not out) and Nathan Smith (six not out) prevented further collapse before bad light curtailed play.
- 'Nasty fasties' -
Earlier, New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson took 5-62 in 14 overs -- the sixth five-wicket haul of the 31-year-old fast bowler's 20-Test career.
Harry Brook, with 56, was the lone England batsman to offer meaningful resistance, although he was dropped twice.
"It was obviously helpful conditions for us nasty fasties," the towering Jamieson told reporters after stumps. "I think there was enough going on that we didn't have to try too much, really, to be fair."
New Zealand made England's batsmen suffer, even though Matt Henry, who was passed fit following a hamstring strain, only managed four overs before leaving the field.
Debutant opener Emilio Gay was out for eight, while Joe Root and Jamie Smith both scored just one run apiece.
Gay, playing in place of dropped batsman Zak Crawley, emulated England great David Gower by hitting his first ball in Test cricket for four before edging Jamieson to Mitchell in the slips.
Will O'Rourke (3-38) captured the key wicket of Root before Smith was bowled playing no shot by a Jamieson ball that cut back and knocked out his off stump.
England captain Ben Stokes, on his 35th birthday, fell for 12 when an edge off Jamieson was superbly caught low and one-handed by Williamson, diving in front of first slip.
Brook, dropped early in his innings, had another reprieve on 45 when Ravindra floored a straightforward catch at midwicket.
The batsman completed a 64-ball fifty but holed out soon afterwards.
U.Dumont--JdB
