Report

Robinson five-for on comeback as New Zealand rolled for 113

Reyaansh Bansal · 05/06/2026 · 2 min read

England Takes the Lead with Robinson’s Five-Wicket Haul

Ollie Robinson marked his international comeback with his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket since September 2022 to give England a 27-run first-innings lead over New Zealand at Lord’s. Robinson dismantled New Zealand’s top order on the first evening with a dramatic spell of 4 for 10 in six overs – which included three wickets in four balls in his first – and completed his five-for by cleaning up last man Matt Henry on the second morning.

New Zealand’s Recovery and England’s Bowling

But New Zealand’s 113 all out represented a recovery from 29 for 6, with Glenn Phillips’ counterattacking 34 on the first evening supplemented by Kyle Jamieson’s free-swinging 38 not out on the second morning. Josh Tongue struck with his first ball of the day, uprooting Phillips’ off stump with a full delivery that snuck past his outside edge. He then got a length ball to jag in sharply off the seam as Nathan Smith became the third batter of the match bowled while shouldering arms, leaving New Zealand 82 for 8 and still 58 behind.

Jamieson, fresh from a five-wicket haul in his first Test since February 2024, decided there was little point hanging around and swung Tongue’s slower ball back over his head into the pavilion for the first six of the Test match, then hauled Robinson for consecutive leg-side sixes as England went to a short-ball plan to the lower order.

Conclusion of the Innings and New Zealand’s Concerns

Will O’Rourke contributed 1 off 17 balls to a 26-run ninth-wicket partnership before he was bluffed by Gus Atkinson, edging a full ball to slip with the field set for bumpers, before Henry – batting at No. 11 after back spasms on the opening day – lost his middle stump to Robinson. New Zealand said that Henry’s back had improved overnight, and that his availability to bowl would depend on his level of discomfort in the warm-ups between innings.

Robinson’s five-wicket haul marked a significant moment in the Test cricket series between England and New Zealand.
England takes a 27-run first-innings lead at Lord’s.
New Zealand’s recovery from 29 for 6 was led by Glenn Phillips and Kyle Jamieson.

Reyaansh Bansal

Reyaansh Bansal is the digital cricket content lead for ESPNcricinfo, where he masters the art of making cricket irresistible on phones, feeds, and timelines. A Mumbai University media graduate, Bansal began his career in sports radio but quickly pivoted to the digital space, recognising that the future of cricket fandom was being shaped on Twitter threads, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. He now leads a creative team that produces viral match recaps, player quizzes, and data‑driven infographics for millions of followers. Bansal’s unique skill is decoding complex match situations into shareable, witty formats without losing the sport’s essence. His work has been praised by current players, broadcasters, and cricket boards for bringing new, younger audiences to the game.