Summary

Have your say on England men this summer

Live Reporting

by Ffion Wynne & Sam Drury

  1. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    These are interesting tactics from Ollie Robinson with Jamie Smith still there. I suppose the field is up, it might be a decent tactic.

  2. Eng 197-7

    Lead by 224

    The over starts with Ollie Robinson having a bit of fun, clubbing Nathan Smith down the ground for four, and is followed by something far less fun.

    He inside-edges the ball into a... sensitive area, falls over in a heap and grimaces, but is fine to carry on. Obviously, all the others have a giggle.

  3. Eng 189-7

    Lead by 216

    I think we know how Ollie Robinson's going to play this.

    He clubs his first ball into the leg side for three.

  4. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    It ends that handy little partnership. You really do want someone to stay with Jamie Smith but that was handy from Atkinson.

    Not too many celebrations from the Kiwis but they've missed chances today.

  5. wicket

    WICKET

    Atkinson c & b Jamieson 14 (Eng 184-7)

    Oops.

    From nowhere, Gus Atkinson slogs one straight up in the air and Kyle Jamieson takes the simplest caught and bowled. They were playing so sensibly, but still scoring pretty freely, so that felt unnecessary.

    Classic live texter's curse.

  6. Eng 184-6

    Lead by 209

    Whisper it, but this is probably the most comfortable that any batters have looked over the past day and a half.

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    Breaks my heart to say, because he’s a legend and a generational talent but Stokes is currently our weakest link. Struggling big time with bat and ball. How many more underwhelming Tests does he have before he becomes droppable? Anyone else would be worried if they had his form!

    Tom, London

  8. Eng 179-6

    Lead by 206

    Gus Atkinson takes a single to bring up a precious fifty partnership with Jamie Smith.

    It hasn't been flashy - just rotating the strike and punishing anything loose.

  9. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    It's a big knock this for Jamie Smith. He's already got important runs to try and get this innings back on course.

  10. Eng 176-6

    Nip-backer, beats Jamie Smith... but also the keeper!

    Four byes. It feels like Nathan Smith has bowled so well without much luck - even if he does have three wickets to his name.

  11. Still, you can't say it hasn't been entertaining.

  12. Eng 170-6

    Lead by 197

    Let's just hope that England can scrape through this one so we can stop talking about Perth 2025. Agreed?

  13. Ashwanth R Kavuluri
    CricViz analyst

    Since the start of 2023, this is only the second time Joe Root has been dismissed for a single-digit score in both innings of a Test match. The only other instance came against Australia in Perth in 2025.

  14. Eng 166-6

    Thanks, Sam.

    As I said yesterday, I have a habit for two-day Tests. I'm not going to bother predicting anything.

    Gus Atkinson calmly leaves the first ball after tea.

  15. Sam Drury
    BBC Sport at Lord's

    Right, the players are gathering on the boundary edge so it's time for me to hand back to Ffion Wynne for an extended evening session.

    Could the match finish tonight? It's unlikely but I'm definitely not ruling it out...

  16. Whatever England end up setting New Zealand, they'll know it could have been a whole lot less but for Emilio Gay.

    The left-handed opener showed a great mix of grit and skill to make it a half-century on debut.

    He'll hope for some friendlier batting conditions in the next couple of Tests as he tries to establish himself in the side.

  17. So how many do England need to be comfortable here?

    The pitch is still doing all sorts, especially when the clouds roll in and the lights are on.

    Might 200 be enough? In which case, they're almost there. Or it is more like 250-plus?

  18. This knock from Jamie Smith was much-needed for England because New Zealand had stolen the momentum with a brilliant spell of seam bowling under leaden skies.

    They took 4-1 in 11 balls in total, including 3-0 in the space of five balls.

  19. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Jamie Smith's just played good shots, it's turning into a crucial partnership because the Ben Stokes wicket had tipped things completely New Zealand's way.

  20. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    You would say that England have a measure of control over the game but it's hard to say anything definitively on this surface.