Tag: New Zealand

LONDON: England were on top at the close of play against New Zealand on day two after Gus Atkinson’s double strike at the Lord’s Cricket Stadium. 

The visitors were reduced to 36-3 with 218 more runs required to win. Devon Conway remained not out on 12 while the night-watchman Will O’Rourke was the final wicket to fall.  Atkinson cleaned him up on a duck.

The Three Lions bowlers adopted an aggressive strategy, with captain Tom Latham dismissed on the third ball of the first over. It was Josh Tongue who took Kane Williamson in the 11th over, giving his team a strong position.

Earlier, Jamie Smith helped England recover from a middle-order collapse as they set New Zealand 254 to win the first Test at Lord’s on Friday.

England were dismissed for 226 in their second innings on the second day of a frenetic clash in north London.

New Zealand’s Nathan Smith took 6-70, the second five-wicket haul of the paceman’s six-match Test career.

But given New Zealand were dismissed for just 113 in the first innings, they need a vastly-improved batting effort to avoid falling 1-0 behind in the three-match series.

Debutant opener Emilio Gay was England’s top-scorer in their second innings with 57 and wicket-keeper Smith made 39.

Earlier, England lost four wickets for just one run as 126-2 quickly became 127-6 before Smith steadied the ship in the 150th Test at Lord’s — the most of any ground.

Smith received good support from Gus Atkinson during a seventh-wicket stand of 57.

But Atkinson gave his innings away on 14 when his miscued pull off Kyle Jamieson was caught by the towering fast bowler.

This is England’s first Test since a 4-1 series loss in Australia where they squandered several promising positions.

And it looked like they might be suffering a repeat of their Ashes debacle when Harry Brook, fresh from a first-innings fifty, and England captain Ben Stokes were both dismissed without scoring on Friday.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

There was little Jamie Smith could do when Nathan Smith bowled him with a delivery that kept low to end a 52-ball innings, including six fours.

England were 99-2 when Jacob Bethell was bowled by a Matt Henry delivery that kept low.

Gay, however, was still seeking to punish New Zealand for failing to review a rejected Henry lbw appeal when the Durham batter would have been out for 24.

Gay pressed on to an 84-ball fifty, including seven fours, before he was caught behind off Smith to leave England 126-3.

Brook was trapped in front by Will O’Rourke for a duck and Joe Root fell in similar fashion to Smith for eight.

Stokes was bowled by an excellent Smith delivery that angled in before clipping the top of the left-hander’s off stump.

Ollie Robinson made a useful 29 before he holed out off Nathan Smith to end the innings.

Earlier, Robinson celebrated a five-wicket haul on his return to England duty.

The Sussex pace bowler, playing his first Test in more than two years, produced a triple-wicket maiden on Thursday during a sensational return of 4-10 in six overs as New Zealand slumped to 61-6 at stumps.

He wrapped up the innings on Friday by bowling last man Henry for a duck to leave New Zealand 27 runs behind England’s first-innings 140 all out.

Robinson finished with his Test-best figures of 5-39 in 10.1 overs.

READ: Nepal among four teams to qualify for Asian Games 2026

England pacer Ollie Robinson marked his first Test for more than two years with four wickets, including three in a sensational opening over, as New Zealand slumped to 61-6 before bad light cut short the first day’s play at Lord’s on Thursday.

This is the 150th Test at Lord’s and rarely in the long history of the London ground can the first day have been quite so dramatic, with 16 wickets in total falling before stumps.

Recalled Sussex seamer Robinson had remarkable figures of four wickets for 10 runs in just six overs at the close.

England led by 79 runs at stumps despite being dismissed for just 140 themselves after losing the toss.

Batsmen on both sides struggled in the overcast, bowler-friendly conditions, with even New Zealand great Kane Williamson, blessed with one of the best defensive techniques of his generation, falling for nought to Robinson.

Robinson, bowling the second over of the innings, took three wickets for no runs in four balls to leave New Zealand reeling at 2-3, with the normally reserved Lord’s crowd chanting his name.

The 32-year-old had Devon Conway lbw with his third ball and then removed Williamson and Rachin Ravindra for ducks with the last two balls of his first over.

Williamson, in what could be the 35-year-old’s last appearance at Lord’s, was caught off bat and pad as the ball lobbed gently to short leg.

Ravindra was then lbw to Robinson, after being hit on the back leg.

His review failed to overturn the decision of Australian umpire Rod Tucker, who was standing in his 100th Test. Robinson’s previous 20 Tests had yielded 76 wickets at an impressive average of under 23 apiece.

But doubts about his stamina and attitude, if not his skill, meant that this was his first Test since February 2024.

Gus Atkinson then had New Zealand captain Tom Latham lbw.

Robinson struck again, bowling Daryl Mitchell for 12.

Fast bowler Josh Tongue bowled Tom Blundell to leave New Zealand reeling at 29-6 in just 13 overs.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Glenn Phillips (31 not out) and Nathan Smith prevented further collapse before bad light curtailed play despite the floodlights being switched on.

Earlier, New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson took 5-62 in 14 overs — the sixth five-wicket haul of the towering 31-year-old fast bowler’s 20-Test career.

Harry Brook, with 56, was the lone England batter to offer meaningful resistance and he was dropped twice during an otherwise impressive New Zealand fielding display.

New Zealand’s pacemen made England suffer, even though Matt Henry, who was passed fit following a hamstring strain, only managed four overs before leaving the field.

Debutant opener Emilio Gay was out for eight, while Joe Root and Jamie Smith both scored just one run apiece in England’s first Test since their woeful 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia concluded in January.

Gay, who was playing in place of dropped batter Zak Crawley, emulated England great David Gower by hitting his first ball in Test cricket for four before edging Jamieson to Mitchell in the slips.

Will O’Rourke (3-38) captured the key wicket of Root before Smith was bowled playing no shot by a Jamieson ball that cut back and knocked out his off stump.

England captain Ben Stokes, on his 35th birthday, fell for 12 when an edge off Jamieson was superbly caught low and one-handed by Williamson, diving in front of first slip.

Brook, who was dropped early in his innings had another reprieve, on 45, when Ravindra floored a straightforward catch at midwicket

The batter completed a 64-ball fifty but holed out soon afterwards before a last-wicket partnership of 22 between Tongue and Shoaib Bashir boosted England’s total.

READ: Shaheen Afridi reflects on series victory over Australia

LONDON: The iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground has etched its name deeper into cricket history, becoming the first venue in the world to host 150 Test matches on Thursday. 

The opening match of the English summer between England and New Zealand marked the milestone, further cementing Lord’s status as the ‘Home of Cricket’ and the most historic Test venue.

The iconic ground leads the global rankings for hosting the most Test matches, followed by Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Stadium to host most Tests:

Lord’s Cricket Ground  150
Melbourne Cricket Ground  118
Sydney Cricket Ground 114
Kennington Oval 108
Old Trafford 86

Over the years, Lord’s has provided fans with decades of highly competitive cricket. The venue is known for producing decisive results, with 98 matches ending in wins and only 51 finishing in draws.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

During its 142-year history, the iconic ground has hosted a number of memorable matches, with a total of 143,786 runs scored and 4,627 wickets.

England ace batter Joe Root has scored the most runs at this venue, followed by former players Graham Gooch, Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, and Alec Stewart. Meanwhile, Australia batter Steve Smith tops the runs charts for overseas batters at this venue.

Most Runs at Lord’s

Joe Root — 24*, 2166
Graham Gooch — 21, 2015
Alastair Cook — 26, 1937
Andrew Strauss — 18, 1562
Alec Stewart — 20, 1476

In bowlers, legendary fast bowler James Anderson leads the wickets charts with 129 wickets in 29 matches, while New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee has taken the most wickets by a visiting bowler, with 26 wickets in four matches.

Playing XIs

England: Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wkt), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir

New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wkt), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke

READ: Maaz Sadaqat suffers injury during third ODI against Australia

New Zealand footballer Tim Payne met the influencer behind his stunning viral fame on Wednesday, presenting him with a team shirt after gaining almost five million Instagram followers in a week.

Argentine social media giant Valen Scarsini, known as “El Scarso”, last week asked his fans to boost unheralded Payne’s following, calling him the “least known” player at the World Cup.

It sparked an online explosion of interest, with Payne’s follower count increasing from 4,000 to 4.9 million in just a few days.

The two met for the first time at New Zealand’s training camp in Florida, with Payne thanking Scarsini for his support.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“It’s obviously good for myself and New Zealand football too,” Payne said. “It puts a light on us which is a positive thing but at the same time, for me, I don’t change.”

“I’m still the person I am, so I just keep trying to do what I do, which is play football and focus on trying to perform for my country.”

Scarsini was asked, “Why me man?” by the defender who plays for Wellington Phoenix.

“Fly to Argentina!” Scarsini told him.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ataque Futbolero USA (@ataquefutbolero.usa)

Payne’s Instagram account now has more followers than the rugby-obsessed country’s All Blacks team, who have a mere 2.8 million.

Scarsini travelled to Florida to watch Payne and New Zealand in a pre-World Cup friendly at Inter Miami’s stadium on Tuesday, where they were beaten 4-0 by fellow World Cup qualifiers Haiti.

New Zealand will play England on Saturday in their final friendly before the World Cup begins.

They will face Iran, Egypt and Belgium in World Cup Group G.

READ: Nepali climber alive after six days missing on Mount Everest

AUCKLAND: India is set to tour New Zealand for an all-format series later this year, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Wednesday.

The Blackcaps will host India for five ODIs and the same number of T20Is, with two Test matches concluding the tour.

According to NZC, this will be the biggest inbound tour in terms of matches (12) in New Zealand’s history. The tour will commence on 22 October with the ODI series and will conclude on 1 December 2026.

The New Zealand Government will back the tour as part of the celebrations for 100 years of sporting relations between New Zealand and India.

After India, New Zealand will host Sri Lanka for another multi-format series. The series will begin with three ODIs followed by three T20Is to be played in January 2027.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

After the white-ball leg, both teams will then play two Test matches to conclude New Zealand’s home summer.

NZC Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley reflected on the announcement, saying that the India tour will be one of the most significant home summers.

“It simply does not get bigger than India, and we are determined to deliver New Zealanders a tour like no other,” Critchley said.

“This will be about more than just the cricket on the field – it will be a celebration of New Zealand’s shared history and culture with India, and our burgeoning rivalry and friendship through cricket. The passion and following this team has is staggering – not to mention some of the players expected to tour such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah – so we are bracing for the intensity and fandom that will accompany the tour.”

“Experiencing the noise, colour and atmosphere of an Indian cricket international is a bucket-list event and I would encourage the Kiwi public to take up the opportunity to witness it first-hand,” he concluded.

India tour of New Zealand schedule

T20Is

22 Oct – 1st T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (8pm NZT)
24 Oct – 2nd T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (8pm NZT)
27 Oct – 3rd T20I, Sky Stadium, Wellington (8pm NZT)
30 Oct – 4th T20I, Eden Park, Auckland (8pm NZT)
1 Nov – 5th T20I, Seddon Park, Hamilton (8pm NZT)

ODIs

4 Nov – 1st ODI, Eden Park, Auckland (3pm NZT)
7 Nov – 2nd ODI, Sky Stadium, Wellington (3pm NZT)
10 Nov – 3rd ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton (3pm NZT)
13 Nov – 4th ODI, Bay Oval, Tauranga (3pm NZT)
15 Nov – 5th ODI, Bay Oval, Tauranga (3pm NZT)

Test Matches

19–23 Nov – 1st Test, Basin Reserve, Wellington (11am NZT)
27 Nov–1 Dec – 2nd Test, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (11am NZT)

READ: Shaheen Afridi scripts unique record against Australia

LONDON: Emilio Gay and Sonnie Baker are set to make their debuts as England announced the squad for the first Test against New Zealand.

The first Test will begin on 4 June at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Stadium.

Both opener Gay and fast bowler Baker feature for Durham and Hampshire in the County Championship, while Ollie Robinson is also set to return after a two-year hiatus.

Meanwhile, Shoaib Bashir, who remained out of contention in the Ashes 2025, has also been included in the trimmed squad. The off-spinner’s last Test appearance came against India in 2025.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The players left out of the original 15 squad are James Rew, legspinner Rehan Ahmed, and fast bowler Matt Fisher.

Head coach Brendon McCullum revealed the notion behind Bashir’s inclusion, noting that conditions did not favor him during the Ashes.

“We firmly believe in Bash as an international cricketer,” England head coach Brendon McCullum told BBC Sport.

“When I look back to why he wasn’t required in Australia, it wasn’t to do with how the ball was coming out of his hand per se, we just felt the conditions were not conducive to spin bowling – as did Australia,” he added.

“We remain hugely confident and optimistic about Bash as a cricketer and the role he can play for us.

Regarding Sonnie Baker and Gus Atkinson’s selection, McCullum hinted that they will assess conditions to finalize the playing XI

“We’ll just work out whether we want the extra air speed, if all of a sudden it becomes 35 degrees and flattens out. Or we stick to what’s tried and tested at Lord’s and remain with more of the type of bowlers that’ll extract some movement with some overhead conditions,” he concluded.

England 12-member squad for first Test

Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Ollie Robinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir.

READ: Afghanistan to host T20I series against India in New Delhi

DUBLIN: Cricket Ireland have named the squad for the Test match against New Zealand, set to begin on 27 May. 

Andrew Balbirnie will captain the side that will be without several senior players — Paul Stirling, Barry McCarthy, and Josh Little —  as well as P Gavin Hoey and Jordan Neill due to injury.

The solitary Test match will mark Ireland’s 13th and will be played at Stormont, Belfast.

The squad also includes four members — Jake Egan, Tom Mayes,  Liam McCarthy and Reuben Wilson who could make their debut.

Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood was named on Thursday to lead New Zealand squad at the FIFA World Cup 2026, where they will chase a first-ever win in their third tournament appearance.

Prolific striker Wood, who has scored 45 goals in 88 matches for the All Whites, will captain the lowest-ranked team at the tournament.

Wood and defender Tommy Smith are the only members of the 26-man squad who also played in their most recent World Cup appearance, in South Africa in 2010.

New Zealand drew all three matches at that tournament and failed to advance through the group phase. In their only other World Cup visit, they lost all three group matches in Spain in 1982.

The 85th-ranked New Zealand earned direct World Cup entry by winning the Oceania qualifying series in March.

“It’s been a long time, 16 years, since we’ve been in the World Cup,” Wood said via video link at the squad announcement in Auckland.

“I can’t wait to share the moment with this team and hopefully create some history. I hope that we can do everybody proud and show the world what we’re capable of.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Coach Darren Bazeley made one surprise selection in veteran defender Tommy Smith, who started all three matches in South Africa 16 years ago.

The 36-year-old now plays in the fifth tier of English football, for Braintree Town, but Bazeley said the former England age-group player’s wisdom would be invaluable.

“With a squad of 26, not everybody is going to play,” Bazeley said.

“So we added Tommy because his leadership is great. He’s going to be so important for the players keeping everybody on track. We’ll lean on him a lot.”

Bazeley said Wood and European-based midfielders Joe Bell, Marko Stamenic, Matt Garbett and Ryan Thomas will be key players.

Ten of the squad play in the Australian A-League competition, including eight at the league’s two New Zealand clubs, Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix.

Their first opponents in Group G are Iran in Los Angeles on June 15, before games against Egypt and Belgium.

New Zealand squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe (Millwall FC), Alex Paulsen (Lechia Gdansk), Michael Woud (Auckland FC)

Defenders: Tyler Bindon (Nottingham Forest), Michael Boxall (Minnesota United FC), Liberato Cacace (Wrexham AFC), Francis de Vries (Auckland FC), Callan Elliot (Auckland FC), Tim Payne (Wellington Phoenix), Nando Pijnaker (Auckland FC), Tommy Smith (Braintree Town), Finn Surman (Portland Timbers)

Midfielders: Lachlan Bayliss (Newcastle Jets), Joe Bell (Viking FK), Matt Garbett (Peterborough United), Ben Old (AS Saint-Etienne), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), Sarpreet Singh (Wellington Phoenix), Marko Stamenic (Swansea City), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle)

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers), Elijah Just (Motherwell FC), Callum McCowatt (Silkeborg IF), Jesse Randall (Auckland FC), Ben Waine (Port Vale FC), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)

READ: Injured Mitoma fails to make Japan’s squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

England have dropped struggling opening batter Zak Crawley from their squad for next month’s first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s.

Durham’s Emilio Gay, one of three uncapped players in a 15-man squad including Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker and Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman James Rew, is set to replace Crawley as he is a specialist opener.

Meanwhile, paceman Ollie Robinson, following a two-year exile, is back for the first of a three-Test series.

Crawley had a disappointing 2025-26 tour of Australia, scoring only 273 runs in 10 innings at an average of 27.30 during the team’s unfortunate 4-1 series loss in the Ashes.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

This season, he has also struggled to score runs for Kent in the second division of the County Championship.

This is the first time since captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took charge of the Test team in 2022 that Crawley has been left out of a squad when available.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also announced on Wednesday that former Australia batsman Marcus North would be their new national selector.

North joins the ECB from county side Durham, where he has been the director of cricket since October 2018.

England Test squad: Ben Stokes (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Rew (wkt), Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wkt), Josh Tongue

READ: Star Pakistan batter unlikely to partake in ODI series against Australia

Kane Williamson will continue his pursuit of 10,000 Test runs after being named Thursday in New Zealand’s squad to play Ireland and England in May and June.

The squad features a shock omission from the England leg of the tour, Will Young left out in favour of Henry Nicholls.

The 19-man squad will play a one-off Test against Ireland starting May 27 in Belfast before a three-Test series against England starting June 4.

Williamson has 9,461 runs at an average of 54.7 in 108 Test matches, and said in December he was considering retirement.

“As you get to the latter stages (of your career) those thoughts certainly enter your mind,” said Williamson, who added his future commitment to the Black Caps would be “series by series”.

As it turns out the 35-year-old has committed to New Zealand’s next four Tests, while New Zealand will also play India at home and Australia away later in the year.

Young’s omission for the England Tests comes as a shock given he’d been the long-standing preferred back-up to New Zealand’s batting group.

With limited opportunities, Young had four 50-plus scores in his last nine Test innings, including 74 opening the batting against a fiery spell from fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani on a lively pitch against Zimbabwe.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Nicholls, who had earned a recall after 18 months in the international wilderness, came in the next day on a then-placid pitch and scored 150 not out, but having barely faced Zimbabwe’s best bowler.

Young is part of the squad for the Ireland Test but will head home at its conclusion.

Black Caps coach Rob Walter named two potential debutants in seamer Kristian Clarke and spin-bowling all-rounder Dean Foxcroft.

“To be able to test ourselves against some of the very best Test teams in the world is an exciting challenge and with the added carrot of the fourth edition of the World Test Championship,” Walter said.

“I know it’s something the players and staff alike have been looking forward to for some time and we’re determined to meet the opportunity head on.”

New Zealand are bolstered by the return of Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke, while Jacob Duffy will sit out the tour as he awaits the birth of his child.

All-rounder Michael Bracewell said he will no longer play Test cricket, instead focusing on limited-overs formats.

New Zealand Squad

Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Kristian Clarke (IRE only), Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae (IRE only), Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Will Young (IRE only).

READ: PCB confirms schedule for Australia ODI tour of Pakistan