(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Kyle Jamieson Leads New Zealand as England Bowled Out for 140 at Lord’s
New Zealand produced a strong bowling performance to dismiss England for 140 on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s on Thursday.
Fast bowler Kyle Jamieson was the standout performer, taking 5 wickets for 62 runs in a disciplined spell that put England under constant pressure throughout their innings. His effort marked the sixth five-wicket haul of his Test career.
England struggled to build partnerships on a challenging pitch, with only Harry Brook offering notable resistance. Brook scored 56 runs and was the only batter to pass fifty in the innings.
Apart from Brook, just a few England batters managed to reach double figures as New Zealand’s pace attack maintained control from the start. Ben Duckett added 19, while other key batters fell cheaply as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.
Debutant Emilio Gay had a brief start, while senior batters also failed to make an impact as England’s innings collapsed inside 40 overs.
New Zealand’s bowling unit worked effectively as a group, with Will O’Rourke taking three wickets and Nathan Smith also contributing with key breakthroughs. Matt Henry bowled a short spell after returning from injury.
England captain Ben Stokes scored 12 before being dismissed, while Joe Root managed just one run in a difficult outing for the home side.
Despite a couple of dropped chances and brief resistance from Brook, England were unable to recover from early setbacks and were eventually bowled out shortly after the tea break.
New Zealand’s disciplined bowling display set the tone for the match, giving them an early advantage in the three-match Test series.
The second innings will begin with New Zealand looking to build on their strong start at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
