Day 1 of the English summer belonged to New Zealand opener Devon Conway, who became the sixth cricketer to hit a hundred on Test debut at Lord’s. Conway remained unbeaten on 136 as New Zealand marched to 246/3 at stumps.
England put up a below-par bowling performance after losing the toss. Though they got rid of New Zealand’s three most experienced batters – Tom Latham, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor – early, the visitors, riding on Conway’s magnificent effort, ended the day on driver’s seat. England’s sole bright spot has been debutant Kent paceman Ollie Robinson. He probed hard, who got the wickets of Latham and Taylor.
Day 2: What to expect
Before the start of this series, many gave New Zealand the upper-hand. And on Day 1, they had certainly lived upto the expectations. They seem to have to more versatility, especially in their bowling department.
England opted to go ahead with an all-pace attack on a surface where there was a hint of spin. To cover their mistake, captain Joe Root had to bowl 12 overs, and he got a few to turn. On the other hand, New Zealand have Mitchell Santner, and they will bowl last.
New Zealand bat deep. They will aim to post a healthy first-innings score to put pressure on England. Another 250 runs should do the trick. However, playing out the second new ball will be key. On Wednesday, England took the second new ball the moment it was available, and James Anderson and Stuart Broad troubled both Conway and Henry Nicholls in that final half an hour.
England, on the other hand, need early wickets. Though Conway and Nicholls will be followed by the likes of BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner and Kyle Jamieson, there is bound to be some sort of rustiness in the batters, who have not played for some time. Two or three wickets in the morning session will bring England back in business.
With two left-handers at the crease, Root may bring himself on for a few overs at the start of the day in order to utilise the hardness of the ball and the overnight moisture on the surface, if there is any.
Weather forecast and pitch conditions
Thursday is going to be another pleasant day in London, as predicted by the Met department. The sun will be out in the morning, with the temperature reaching the early 20’s. Towards the second half, of the day we might see some cloud cover but there is hardly any chance of rain. Overall, it is going to be an ideal day for a game of Cricket.
The pitch was a bit on the slower side on Day 1. However, it seems to have settled down now, and is expected to offer some pace on Day 2. However, this extra pace should favour the batters more than the bowling side.