England begin Ashes rebuild with win over NZ

First Rothesay Test, Lord's (day four of five)

England 140 (Brook 56; Jamieson 5-62) & 226 (Gay 57; N Smith 6-70)

New Zealand 113 (Jamieson 38*; Robinson 5-39,) & 138 (Phillips 44*; Atkinson 5-30)

England won by 115 runs, lead three-match series 1-0

Scorecard

England took less than a session on the fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand to begin their post-Ashes rebuild with a much-needed victory.

In their first Test since their 4-1 defeat in Australia, England exploited the devilishly difficult batting conditions on a poor Lord's pitch to beat the tourists by 115 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

From 55-5 overnight in their chase of 254, New Zealand's disappointing week was complete when they were hustled out for 138, thanks chiefly to Gus Atkinson's 5-30.

After Saturday's third day was almost entirely lost to rain, England required only seven deliveries on an overcast Sunday to resume their wicket-taking -Josh Tongue getting one to skid into the prone pads of Tom Blundell.

With the ball moving up and down, and side to side, Glenn Phillips began an overdue New Zealand counter-attack.

Phillips and Devon Conway added 53 for the seventh wicket, helped by Harry Brook putting down Conway at second slip.

But after England captain Ben Stokes induced a miscue from Conway, the end came quickly.

Nathan Smith edged behind, Kyle Jamieson clipped to mid-wicket and last man Matt Henry was bowled, all by Atkinson, giving the Surrey man yet another place on the Lord's honours board.

The rapid, seam-dominated nature of this match followed a recent trend of matches involving England. Two of the Ashes Tests were done in two days, while this was the first Test in this country without a single delivery of spin bowled by either team since 1988.

The hope is the surface for the second Test at The Oval, beginning on 17 June, produces a more satisfactory contest.

The 150th Test at Lord's was a poor spectacle because of the pitch. New Zealand were also uncharacteristically sloppy, missing five chances in the field.

England will not care. After the dismal winter, the retained management structure needed any sort of victory to begin to justify the faith that has been shown in them.

Before this match, Stokes said only the result mattered and now England have the opportunity to win the series at The Oval.

Has much been learned in this match? Seamer Ollie Robinson was outstanding on his return to Test cricket, though his skills were never in doubt - particularly in conditions such as these. His challenge is now to prove his durability.

Debutant opener Emilio Gay looked to have the temperament for Test cricket and his second-innings 57 was the highest individual score of the match. The Durham man will be asked to kick on and make the place his own.

Beyond that, the chaotic nature of this match made it hard to draw conclusions. It was concluded in 166 overs - the third-shortest in history where all 40 wickets have fallen.

England have previously thrived in anarchy - their only win in Australia came in two days of pandemonium in Melbourne. Can they now find the technique, resolve and patience to prevail when a more conventional style of Test cricket is required?

Robinson took two important wickets in the 9.4 overs that were possible on Saturday and it was Tongue who struck in the first full over of Sunday. Pinned to the crease, Blundell did not bother with a review.

Robinson and Tongue might have thought of bowling unchanged until England's job was finished, and may have done had Brook not parried Conway's poke off Tongue. England's first fielding blemish of the match gave Conway a life on 24.

Stokes introduced himself and Atkinson, who troubled Phillips with the ball spitting off a length. Just as New Zealand's momentum was building, Stokes found the breakthrough.

The captain reinforced his leg-side catchers to Conway, on 41. From round the wicket, Stokes targeted the pads of the left-hander, whose leading edge was well caught millimetres off the turf by Jacob Bethell at gully.

In the next over, Nathan Smith tickled Atkinson into the gloves of Jamie Smith - the England wicketkeeper has had an encouraging week after a disappointing Ashes.

Atkinson is another who underwhelmed in Australia, yet he is at home at Lord's. In three Tests on this ground, Atkinson's 26 wickets have come at average of 9.5, including four five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket haul to go with a century.

With England vulnerable following the Ashes, New Zealand appeared to be dangerous opponents, only for the Black Caps to be well below their best.

They were hampered by a back injury to key bowler Henry and severely harmed their cause with the dropped chances in the field- vital in a low-scoring game.

New Zealand were also passive with the bat. With run-scoring so difficult, the best approach looked to be to attack the bowling, yet only Phillips and Jamieson seemed willing to be aggressive.

In the past 12 years, the Black Caps are the sole visiting team to win a Test series in this country - a 1-0 triumph in 2021.

Now, New Zealand have lost seven of their past nine Tests against England, all since Kiwi Brendon McCullum took charge of England.