England v New Zealand Day 4: England Win 1st Test by 115 Runs as Atkinson Takes Five at Lord's

The Story of the Match

ENGLAND won the 1st Rothesay Men's Test Match at Lord's yesterday inside four days against New Zealand by 115 runs. New Zealand needed 254 runs to win but the tourists were dismissed for 138, so England won comfortably thanks to Gus Atkinson 5 for 30, Ollie Robinson with 2 for 38, Josh Tongue 2 for 48 and Ben Stokes 1 for 12 taking the wickets to seal victory in the opening Test of the summer.

New Zealand started the fourth morning of the 1st Rothesay Test Match on 55 for 5 from 21.3 overs, with the tourists needing 199 runs to win and with England still needing 5 wickets for victory.

It was not long before the England bowlers broke through, as Josh Tongue trapped Tom Blundell lbw for 4 from 12 balls when the New Zealand total had reached 58 for 6 from 22.4 overs. Devon Conway continued to battle his way at the other end, but his batting was a distant memory of his 200 at Lord's in 2021. Conway was dropped at second slip by Harry Brook off Josh Tongue when he was 24 and the total was 75 for 6.

Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips came together at 58 for 6 and the pair played watchfully as the game gradually started to sway in their favour as the sun shone at Lord's. The pair added 50 for the seventh wicket partnership from 64 balls, with Conway 21, Phillips 24 and 4 extras.

When the score had reached 111 for 6, Devon Conway edged Ben Stokes to gully where Jacob Bethell held onto a good catch. Conway had top scored for New Zealand with 41 runs from 91 balls with four boundary fours when the total became 111 for 7 from 34 overs. At that time Phillips was 27 not out and New Zealand still needed 143 runs to win, with England needing a further 3 wickets.

Nathan Smith lasted three balls before he edged a straight delivery from Gus Atkinson to Jamie Smith for 0, and New Zealand slumped further to 116 for 8 from 34.4 overs. Kyle Jamieson, who had batted well in the first innings scoring 38, did not last long before he edged Gus Atkinson to Ben Duckett for 6 when the total was 124 for 9 from 36.5 overs. Glenn Phillips top scored after he flayed his bat briefly when 9 wickets were down, but victory for England was not long in coming.

England wrapped up the victory at 12.42 pm with New Zealand 138 all out from 40.3 overs, when Matt Henry was bowled by Gus Atkinson for 0 from 10 balls. Atkinson finished with 5 for 30 from his 11.3 overs with 3 maidens and became the fourth player in the match to be recorded on the honours board for taking 5 wickets in an innings at Lord's. Jamieson and Smith for New Zealand and Robinson and Atkinson for England achieved the recognition in the match.

Glenn Phillips finished on 44 not out from 52 balls with one boundary six and seven boundary fours at the time when Matt Henry was the last batter out. Ollie Robinson was awarded man of the match.

Neither side bowled any spin bowlers in the match, which lasted a total of 166 overs. It was a comfortable win for England by 115 runs at 12.42 pm as England went 1-0 up in the three-Test series. The next Test starts at the KIA Oval on 17 June, with the final Test of the series at Trent Bridge on 24 June.

England 1st Innings: 140 all out, 39.4 overs (Brook 56, Duckett 19; Jamieson 5 for 62, Smith 3 for 38, O'Rourke 2 for 25)

New Zealand 1st Innings: 113 all out, 29.5 overs (Jamieson 38 not out, Phillips 34; Robinson 5 for 39, Tongue 3 for 40, Atkinson 2 for 9)

England 2nd Innings: 226 all out (Gay 57, Smith 39, Duckett 33, Robinson 29; Smith 6 for 70, O'Rourke 2 for 46)

New Zealand 2nd Innings: 138 all out, 40.3 overs (Phillips 44 not out, Conway 41; Atkinson 5 for 30, Robinson 2 for 38, Tongue 2 for 48, Stokes 1 for 12)

Author's Standout Players

• Gus Atkinson (England) - Finished the job in style with 5 for 30 from 11.3 overs, including 3 maidens, to earn a place on the Lord's honours board and bowl New Zealand out for 138
• Ollie Robinson (England) - Named man of the match for an outstanding all-round contribution across the Test, backing up his first-innings five-wicket haul with 2 for 38 in the second
• Glenn Phillips (New Zealand) - The lone source of resistance on the final morning, finishing 44 not out from 52 balls with a six and seven fours as wickets tumbled around him