The England cricket team faced off against the New Zealand national cricket team in early June 2022 at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. This test match between the two top international cricket teams promised to be an exciting contest. Fans from both countries supported their teams at the historic Lord’s Ground.
England Won the Toss and Opted to Field First
When the England captain Ben Stokes won the toss, he did not hesitate to put New Zealand in to bat first. The English players huddled together to discuss their bowling strategy. They knew chasing in the fourth innings could be difficult at Lord’s. So they wanted to take early wickets to gain an advantage. The English pacers Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad opened the bowling for their team.
New Zealand Openers Get Team Off to Solid Start
The dangerous opening duo of Tom Lathan and Devon Conway came out to open the innings for New Zealand. Both batters played with positive intent against the English pace attack. They rotated the strike efficiently and found the boundaries when loose balls were bowled. By lunch on day one, the scoreboard read 80/0, with Lathan on 40 and Conway unbeaten on 35. The first session belonged to the Kiwi openers.
England Strike Back After Lunch
England knew they needed wickets to get back into the match. Captain Ben Stokes shuffled his bowling options after lunch and brought in the spin of Jack Leach. It worked an instant treat as Leach trapped Devon Conway LBW for 43. This brought New Zealand captain Kane Williamson to the crease. But he didn’t last long, and Archer dismissed him for 18, caught behind. The momentum started to shift as England picked up quick wickets to reduce New Zealand to 150/4 by tea.
New Zealand Batsmen Build Crucial Partnerships
In the post-tea session, Tom Blundell and Daryl Mitchell rebuilt the New Zealand innings with a 92-run stand for the 5th wicket. They batted with discipline and caution against the English attack. Mitchell was the more aggressive of the two, finding the boundary regularly. Henry Nicholls joined Blundell when he fell for 56, and the pair added another 51 runs to take New Zealand to 293/6 at stumps on day one. Blundell remained unbeaten on 89. A competitive total was shaping up for the Kiwis.
England Strike on Day Two
Resuming on day two at 293/6, New Zealand hoped to build a big score. But England struck early as Craig Overton dismissed Henry Nicholls for 20. Tailenders Tim Southee and Ajaz Patel helped Blundell add some valuable runs. Blundell brought up his century but was dismissed soon after for 102. New Zealand were all out for 340, giving England a first-innings lead of 28 runs. Despite losing momentum in the afternoon session of day one, England bounced back well to bowl out New Zealand for a total below 350.
England cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team match scorecard
Bairstow and Crawley Give England a Solid Start
In reply, England openers Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow came out with positive intent. They found the boundaries regularly against the New Zealand pace and ensured the scoring rate didn’t drop. Crawley played some stylish drives and cuts, while Bairstow was the more aggressive of the two. Their 128-run opening stand put England in a strong position at stumps on day two, scoring 156/0 and a lead of 184 runs. It was an advantageous England heading into day three.
Rain Washes Out Majority of Day Three
Unfortunately for the fans who had turned up at Lord’s, persistent rain meant only 17 overs were possible on day three. Bairstow and Crawley could add only 23 more runs before play was called off for the day. While this didn’t allow a result, England still held the upper hand thanks to their healthy first innings lead. Day four promised to be an exciting finale if rain stayed away.
England Enforce Follow On Despite Rain Delay
When play resumed on day four, England lost Crawley for 76, but Bairstow scored a superb 136. England were eventually all out for 391, extending their lead to 419 runs. Captain Ben Stokes had no hesitation in asking New Zealand to follow on – only the third instance of enforcing the follow-on in a Test at Lord’s. The Kiwi batters faced a tough challenge with more than a session left in the game.
New Zealand Fight Back on Fourth Innings
The New Zealand openers, Latham and Conway, played positively after being asked to follow on. They took on the English bowlers and didn’t let the scoring rate drop. Their century-opening partnership gave some hope to the Kiwi fans. But Anderson got among the wickets once again, dismissing Conway for 46. Williamson and Nicholls then battled hard, but runs dried up in the final session. Stumps were called with NZ 175/3, but they still need 244 more runs to avoid an innings defeat.
England Clinch Victory on Final Day
England needed only seven wickets on the fifth and final day to register an emphatic victory. James Anderson and Matthew Potts proved too good for the New Zealand lower order. They kept taking wickets regularly, not allowing any partnerships to flourish. Tim Southee played a fighting innings of 30 but had no support from the other end. New Zealand were bowled out for 284, handing England an innings and 65-run victory. The home fans celebrated a memorable win at Lord’s, showing their team’s superiority over the Kiwis in English conditions.
Player of the Match: Jonny Bairstow
For his superb undefeated 136 in the first innings that set up England’s position of strength, wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow was awarded the Player of the Match award. His attacking knock took the pressure off the top order and allowed England to declare. Bairstow showcased excellent application, patience, and strokeplay during his 250-ball stay at the crease.
Player of the Series: James Anderson
While many players performed well, veteran pacer James Anderson was declared Player of the Series for his match-winning spell. Anderson finished with impressive figures of 7/83 in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. His ability to consistently ask questions of the batters on a responsive Lord’s surface was crucial in England gaining control. At nearly 40, Anderson remains England’s Bank, leading their bowling attack superbly.
In conclusion, this Test match between England and New Zealand provided an engrossing contest viewed by passionate fans of both teams. While rain delayed some moments of play, the cricket itself was of the highest quality when possible. England stamped their authority through disciplined performances with both bat and ball. Their depth and experience in home conditions proved the difference on a turning point Test at the home of cricket.
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The player performances in this match were top-class from both sides. Here are some of the notable individual performances:
- Tom Latham’s composed 40 in the first innings helped New Zealand get off to a solid start despite losing his wicket early in the second.
- Devon Conway showed his class with a well-compiled 43 in the first innings before falling to Jack Leach.
- Daryl Mitchell played a patient knock of 56 in the first innings to steer the recovery after early wickets.
- Tom Blundell almost single-handedly took New Zealand close to 350 with his well-made first-innings century.
- Henry Nicholls contributed two valuable innings of 20 and 31 to stabilize the innings.
- Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow gave England an outstanding start with their 128-run opening stand in the first innings.
- Bairstow then converted his start into a match-defining 136 to assert England’s dominance.
- James Anderson was at his best, claiming career-defining figures of 7/83 across the two innings.
So, while the teams battled it out, it was a match where individual skills were showcased for fans to admire and enjoy.
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There were some intriguing moments in this exciting Lord’s Test that fans would not want to miss. One was England choosing to bowl first after winning the toss, taking the gamble of batting last on a responsive pitch. This showed their confidence in their bowling attack. Another was Tom Blundell’s vigilance and determination in reaching his maiden Test century despite wickets falling around him.
Daryl Mitchell also displayed good temperament and skill while occupying the crease for over 150 balls in scoring his valuable half-century. The first session on day three was highly anticipated but sadly washed out due to rain. Supporters were desperate to see further play develop. Jonny Bairstow slammed 16 fours and a six in his superbly-paced hundred, leading England’s batting renaissance.
The last hour on day 4 was also captivating as New Zealand desperately tried clinging on, but Anderson-Potts ripped through the lower order. Overall, the match presented absorbing cricketing moments that gave both sets of fans great entertainment and memories from the home of cricket.
