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- ENG vs NZ Live Score, 1st Test 2026: Rain stops play; Emilio Gay departs cheaply on debut
ENG vs NZ Live Score, 1st Test 2026: Rain stops play; Emilio Gay departs cheaply on debut
England can take inspiration from recent history as they begin this series. The last time the team found itself in a similarly difficult position was in 2022. Back then, England had lost the Ashes 4-0 in Australia and then suffered a series defeat in the Caribbean. Joe Root stepped down as captain, Ben Stokes took over, and Brendon McCullum arrived as coach. New Zealand happened to be the first opponents of that new era. The result was dramatic. England chased 279, 299 and 296 in consecutive second innings to complete a clean sweep. Those victories launched the Bazball era and transformed the mood around English cricket. Four years later, the circumstances are different but the challenge feels familiar. England are once again looking to recover from an Ashes disappointment. They are once again facing New Zealand at the start of a home summer. Supporters will hope history repeats itself. Another successful series could help restore belief and provide a platform for the months ahead.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, Pitches it up, on off. Emilio Gay makes the leave.
Three scoring strokes so far and all of them have been boundaries. Two from the bat of the debutant and one from Ben Duckett.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, Good comeback! More like it by Jamieson. Kyle hurls it on a good length, outside the off stump. Gay is drawn into the stroke as he pushes a bit away from his body. The ball whistles past the outside edge.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, FOUR! Fine shot. Angled into the left-hander by Jamieson, a bit too full, in line with the off stump. Gay leans forward and presents the full face of the bat. Plays the drive with a high elbow past the bowler's left and it races away.
- Ben Duckett 4 (12)
- Emilio Gay 4 (6)
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, A bit of nip back into the left-hander, on a back of a length, on middle. Ben stays back to keep it out but the ball decks back in and beats him on the inside edge. Duckett wears it high on the thigh pad.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Pushes the length up now, on off. Duckett gets forward to block it off. Ekes out an inside edge onto the front pad.
It is not the first time that the ball has not carried on the full to the keeper. Does the keeper need to adjust his position and stand a few steps in front of where he is right now? We will find out as the game goes on.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, In and around the off pole, on a nagging length, Duckett is happy to let it through to the keeper.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, That shot through. Henry drags the length back a bit and this goes across the left-hander. Ben shoulders arms and the ball goes on the bounce to the keeper, Tom Blundell.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Easy pickings. Henry goes searching for the swing but ends up delivering a juicy half-volley, on off. Duckett is quick to transfer his weight onto the front foot and cracks the drive to the left of cover for his first boundary.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Serves it full, just outside the off stump. Duckett presses onto the front foot for the drive. The bat turns in his hand and he mistimes it to cover.
- Emilio Gay 4 (6)
- Ben Duckett 0 (6)
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, Jamieson bashes the hard length and gets the ball to jag back in sharply but it drifts down leg. Gay walks inside the line and lets it pass.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, Jamieson is yet to get his radar right. This is well wide on off, on a good length. Gay offers no shot.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, In the channel on off, bowled into the surface. Emilio leaves it alone.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, Angled in and then nipping away a touch, on a back of a length, on the off stump. Gay is opened up as he leans across and brings the bat out in front. Gets it off the outer half to point.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, A bit too wide on off, on a short of a length, Gay lets it be.
Kyle Jamieson to Emilio Gay, FOUR! Thank you, Kyle, says the debutant. Jamieson starts from around the stumps and goes full in search of swing. Ends up dishing out a low full toss, outside off. Emilio leans into the drive and plays it through point. Opens his account in Test cricket with a boundary.
A maiden to start the game from Matt Henry. Kyle Jamieson will be operating from the other end. Three slips, a gully and a leg slip as well for Emilio Gay.
- Ben Duckett 0 (6)
- Emilio Gay 0 (0)
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Henry begins with a maiden. Matt attacks the stumps with a good-length ball. Duckett stays on the back foot and stabs it down watchfully on the off side.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Henry makes the batter play now. Honing in line with the off stump, on a good length. Duckett hangs back to deal with it. Gets squared up as the ball nips away a touch and the ball squirts off the outside half to gully.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Continues to push it across the batter, does Henry, on a good length. Ben makes a watchful leave.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, A play and a miss! Closer to the off pole, full in length. Duckett has a fiddle at the ball and is beaten as the ball leaves him with the angle.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Fuller this time and angled across again. Duckett shoulders arms.
Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, First sign of the lack of pace and bounce as early as the first ball. Angling across off, on a length. Duckett lets it be. The ball does not rise at all and goes towards the keeper on a bounce.
Time for the action to commence. The sun is out, which makes for a pleasant sight after all the concerns about the weather earlier in the morning. The two umpires make their way out to the middle, while Tom Latham leads his side onto the field. It will be the new English opening pair of Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay. Matt Henry will kick things off with the new ball. Duckett to face the first ball. Here we go...
We are moments away from the national anthems, but before that, there will be a moment of silence as a mark of respect for the former England cricketers who have passed away since the side's last home fixture. There is also a moment of remembrance at Lord's as we mark a decade since the passing of New Zealand great Martin Crowe. His daughter, Emma Crowe, has been given the honour of ringing the five-minute bell ahead of the start of play. It is time for the national anthems now. It will be New Zealand's first, followed by that of England.
PITCH REPORT - Nasser Hussain says the weather looks fine for now, although a glance at the radar suggests heavier rain could arrive around the middle of the day. Mark Butcher feels it is a very good-looking surface. There is plenty of hardness in the pitch, with only a tiny amount of moisture still present. He adds that the ground staff have worked hard to ensure the surface retains good pace and bounce.
The captain of England - Ben Stokes says they would have bowled first as well, given the conditions. He describes Emilio Gay's debut as a special moment, not only for the left-hander but also for his family, and adds that seeing someone receive their first cap is always one of the most rewarding parts of being involved with the side. On the team selection, Stokes informs that Sonny Baker misses out from the 12-man squad named in the lead-up to the game.
A no-brainer - The captain of New Zealand, Tom Latham, says the decision to bowl first was a straightforward one, given the overcast conditions and the possibility of extracting some early assistance with the new ball. He adds that it looks like a good surface underneath, and it was firm when they inspected it a few days ago.
9.39 am GMT - Unfortunately, it has started to drizzle, and the ground staff are quick to spring into action with the hover cover. Let's hope it blows through quickly and allows us a prompt start.
New Zealand (Playing XI) - Tom Latham (C), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (WK), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke.
England (Playing XI) - Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay (On debut), Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (WK), Ben Stokes (C), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir.
TOSS - Time for the coin to go up in the first Test of the English summer. It is overcast but, importantly, dry. Ben Stokes and Tom Latham are out in the middle. Latham calls correctly, and New Zealand elect to BOWL first.
Robinson was dropped in 2024 because concerns about fitness and attitude damaged trust within the setup. Since then, he has worked to rebuild his reputation. Captaining Sussex this season appears to have helped his development, and England now believe he is ready for another opportunity. Unavailability of Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse have also opened the door. Robinson knows this could be a significant moment in his career. Strong performances could cement his place in the side again. Failure would likely bring renewed questions. Either way, his return adds another interesting storyline to a match already carrying considerable significance for England.
Gay arrives with strong domestic form, including three centuries in the current County Championship season. His story is particularly interesting because he played three T20 internationals for Italy last year, meaning he will now become a dual international.
Bethell also enters the match with confidence after scoring his maiden Test century during the final Ashes Test in Sydney earlier this year. England hope these changes bring fresh energy to a batting order that struggled badly in Australia. Selection decisions often reveal how a team views its future, and these choices suggest England are willing to move on from familiar names if performances do not improve. The Lord's Test therefore represents not only an opportunity for England to win but also a chance for new players to establish themselves at the highest level.
Players from around the world speak about the special feeling of walking out at Lord's. Yet when England take the field against New Zealand, the focus will not just be on the history around them. It will be on the future. England are trying to move on from an Ashes defeat that left supporters frustrated and searching for answers.
The contrast is striking. Lord's represents continuity and tradition, while England are searching for change and improvement. The home side know that performances on the field will ultimately shape the conversation. A strong start to the summer could quickly change the mood around the team. A poor performance, however, would bring fresh scrutiny. That makes this Test more significant than just another match. It is England's first chance to show what lessons, if any, were learned after the difficult tour of Australia and whether the team is ready to move forward.
Questions were asked about preparation, tactics and even off-field discipline. Reports of excessive drinking became a major talking point and attracted criticism from supporters and the media. Despite the backlash, the leadership group remained unchanged. Director of cricket Rob Key, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes all survived the review that followed the Ashes. That decision did not go down well with everyone. McCullum acknowledged the criticism, saying: “You have got to handle a little bit of the backlash.” England now have a chance to shift attention back to cricket. A strong performance against New Zealand would not erase the memories of Australia completely, but it could begin the process of rebuilding confidence among players and supporters alike.
