Atkinson claims five wickets as England seals a dominant win in a low-scoring Test.
Image: The Guardian
England wrapped up an emphatic eight-wicket victory over New Zealand on the fourth morning at Lord’s, with Gus Atkinson producing another match-winning spell.
Chasing 254, New Zealand resumed on 55 for five but quickly collapsed on a pitch offering uneven bounce and sharp movement. A wicket fell every 24.9 balls on average, making it England’s quickest Test dismissal rate since 1907. Neither side used a spinner during the match.
Atkinson claimed his fifth Test five-for and fourth at Lord’s. He took the final three wickets after Josh Tongue struck in the opening over of the day. Tongue trapped Tom Blundell lbw with a delivery that stayed low and set the tone for the morning.
Glenn Phillips fought back with 78, the highest score of the match. He survived several early scares and played positively, but lacked support as wickets continued to fall around him.
Devon Conway made 53 and shared a 53-run stand with Phillips, New Zealand’s best partnership of the innings. However, he could not recreate the form that brought him a double century on his Lord’s debut. Ben Stokes eventually removed him, with Jacob Bethell taking a sharp catch in the gully.
England’s bowlers kept relentless pressure on the visitors. Although Harry Brook dropped a chance in the slips earlier, the mistake proved costly neither for England nor the result.
Atkinson bowled with pace despite a disrupted build-up after a concussion setback. He regularly touched 90 mph and removed Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry to complete the victory.
New Zealand’s lower order offered little resistance. Phillips was left stranded at the non-striker’s end as the final wickets fell in quick succession.
The win gives England a positive start after their difficult Ashes campaign in Australia. However, the challenging surface made it difficult to draw wider conclusions from the performance.
New Zealand now have nine days to recover before the second Test at The Oval on June 17. The third and final Test will be played at Trent Bridge on June 25.
