Black Caps in charge at Lord’s

The Black Caps have dominated the fourth day of the first cricket test against England at Lord’s to be 62-2 in their second innings at stumps, an overall lead of 165.

Play resumed on day four after day three was completely washed out due to the rain.

Tim Southee and the Black Caps celebrate another England wicket.
Photo: Photosport

England were 275 in reply to New Zealand’s first innings of 378 with Tim Southee the most successful of the New Zealand bowlers taking 6-43 while Rory Burns top scored for the home side with 132.

It’s the 11th time Southee has taken five wickets in an innings in a test match.

Burns kept the New Zealand attack at bay while the wickets tumbled at the other end at regular intervals, with four batsmen trudging back to the pavilion after being dismissed for ducks.

The opener led a painful but charmed life – hit on the head twice, thrown a lifeline when wicketkeeper BJ Watling missed a chance to stump him on 77, and he was dropped by Southee in the slips off Wagner when he was on 88.

Burns and number 11 James Anderson frustrated the tourists stitching together a 52-run tenth wicket stand with Burns reaching his century before becoming Southee’s sixth victim.

Kyle Jamieson took 3-85 while Neil Wagner took the other wicket to fall.

The two New Zealand wickets to fall were first innings double centurion Devon Conway who made 23 while skipper Kane Williamson made 1.

Tom Latham is unbeaten on 30 while nightwatchman Neil Wagner is on 2.

-RNZ, Reuters