After day four: first innings – England 232, New Zealand 207, second innings – England 213, New Zealand 68
Result: England won by 170 runs
Tim Southee today became only the second New Zealander to be enscribed on the Lord’s honours board for 10 wickets in a match. But sadly for the Northern Districts seamer that was the only bright moment in a disastrous fourth day in the Test at Lord’s.
After wrapping up the English innings in under an hour this morning, the BLACKCAPS needed 239 runs to win only their second ever Test at Lord’s.
But the total was a million miles away from what appeared possible on the Lord’s wicket today, with the visitors collapsing to be all out for 68 – 171 short of the victory target.
Earlier in the day, Southee finished with six second innings wickets for 50 runs as he and Kane Williamson wrapped up the English tail with only 33 runs added to their overnight total.
Southee started the morning with Steve Finn edging to a brilliant catch by Martin Guptill at second slip. Minutes later he secured his five wicket bag with the all-important wicket of Ian Bell who also went to a slip catch, this time from Dean Brownlie.
Then one TG Southee added his name to the 10 wicket honours board (10-108) with Graeme Swann’s wicket , caught behind by Brendon McCullum who was wearing the gloves in the absence of the injured BJ Watling.
Williamson ended the English innings getting Jimmy Anderson for a duck, and leaving the visitors with a realistic chance of chasing 239 runs in the nearly two days of play remaining.
Unfortunately for BLACKCAPS fans, Stuart Broad had other ideas. Before lunch he had already grabbed his five wicket bag and with another to Anderson the Kiwis were struggling at 29-6.
Peter Fulton went first, caught behind by Matt Prior off Broad and his fellow opener Hamish Rutherford didn’t last much longer clean bowled by Broad.
Ross Taylor, the top scorer in the first innings, could only last two balls before being caught by Alastair Cook at first slip to give Broad his third scalp.
Williamson, who looked like the BLACKCAPS’ best hope, held on for six runs before also succumbing to Broad as he drove straight into the hands of Steve Finn.
Brownlie went for five caught by Cook off Anderson and even captain McCullum couldn’t stop the charging English attack as Broad had him lbw for eight.
The BLACKCAPS sloped into the sheds at 29-6 at lunch. Not long afterwards the match was all over with England winning by a comfortable 170 runs thanks to an outstanding bowling effort by Broad who finished with seven wickets for 44 runs.
Southee had a couple of bashes but was caught on the boundary by Joe Root, and the injured Watling dug in for 13 before being caught by Jonathan Trott off Anderson.
Bruce Martin became Broad’s seventh victim, clean bowled by the man of the match, before Neil Wagner who top scored with 17 was run out.
The heads were down in the dressing room at the thought of a total of just 68 after such a promising start to the day, and the tantalising prospect of a much sought after victory at Lord’s. Sadly it was not to be our day.
After day three: first innings – England 232, New Zealand 207, second innings – England 180-6
Four late wickets – a trio to Tim Southee – helped the BLACKCAPS rescue a day that was all England’s until the last hour.
After a strong first two days for the BLACKCAPS in the first Test at Lord’s, it was nearly all England’s day today. The New Zealand middle and tail collapsed before lunch and apart from a couple of quick wickets immediately after the first session and four in the last hour, England had the better of the visitors. 
Joe Root (71) and Jonathan Trott (56) combined for a third wicket partnership of 123 to lead England to 180-6 – 205 runs ahead with two days to play at the Home of Cricket.
The BLACKCAPS resumed at 153-4 overnight and probably felt they were in a position to comfortably overtake England’s total of 232 with Kane Williamson (44) and Brendon McCullum at the wicket.
But that assumption couldn’t be further from what evolved as New Zealand crumbled to 207 all out – adding just 54 to their overnight score.
Captain McCullum went early having a go at a Stuart Broad delivery and being caught behind by Matt Prior.
Williamson continued his solid effort from yesterday and brought up his 50 off 158 balls. Just as he looked to be finding his rhythm with a couple of boundaries, Williamson tried to get hold of a Jimmy Anderson delivery down the leg side but only got a touch through to Prior.
After that Southee’s flourish of three boundaries was about all BLACKCAPS fans could get excited about.
Southee went for 12 and Bruce Martin was bowled for a duck by Anderson, giving him his five wicket bag and his spot on the honours board.
BJ Watling held on for 17 before dubiously being dismissed caught behind off the bowling off Steve Finn. The New Zealand innings ended at 207 with Trent Boult attempting to defend an Anderson delivery but skying it to Finn.
After the batting collapse, the Kiwis knew they needed early wickets. Boult was into it straight away with a good shout on an Alastair Cook caught behind which McCullum called on the review for. Sadly for Kiwi fans the technology couldn’t prove there was a nick.
With some lunch in the belly and having enjoyed the marching band on the outfield, the BLACKCAPS got that much needed breakthrough.
Cook was gone to his nemesis Boult thanks to a fine catch by Dean Brownlie at third slip. Without another run added Cook’s fellow opener Compton was gone, clean bowled by the inswing of Neil Wagner. The home side was struggling at 36-2 but held on through to tea to be 91-2.
The partnership of Root and Trott was finally broken when Root got an inside edge off Southee. Minutes later Southee was in luck again when he bowled Jonny Bairstow for five to pull the match back for the Kiwis.
Southee then grabbed his third wicket – Prior caught by substitute fielder Martin Guptill at square leg – to finish the day with 3-34. Williamson chimed with the all-important wicket of Jonathan Trott for 56 to have the English go from 159-2 to 171-6.
Both Watling (knee) and Martin (calf) went off with injuries in the afternoon session, and will be assessed tonight.
Tomorrow’s first session will be an all important one for the BLACKCAPS to get through the remaining four English wickets and have a chance to chase victory before the forecast rain on Monday.
Day two: England 232. BLACKCAPS 153/4
A flurry of wickets midway through the first session was the beginning of the end for England's innings; the BLACKCAPS end day two a tantalising 79 runs away from a first innings lead.
The first session started in a similar vein to day one, with Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner putting and keeping the pressure on the young Yorkshire pair of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. There was no reward for the bowlers before drinks, but Tim Southee got Joe Root to edge an away swinger to BJ Watling shortly afterwards, ending his patient innings. Southee didn't waste any time getting to his 200th wicket, grabbing England's Player Of The Year and Eden Park Tormenter Matt Prior LBW the very next delivery.
Stuart Broad survived the hat trick ball, but was out to an extremely plumb LBW shout from Neil Wagner shortly after that. Wagner and Southee were able to clean up Bairstow, who played well, and the tail without too much fuss, handing the batsmen a target of 232, a good reward for tight bowling throughout the English innings.
The BLACKCAPS openers were unable to make starts, as James Anderson removed Peter Fulton (who became Anderson's 300th test victim) and Hamish Rutherford for 2 and 4 respectively. Kane Williamson steadied the ship, taking the anchor role, patiently defending and putting bad balls away, and making the most of his luck, after Prior grassed a chance 23.
Ross Taylor, perhaps keen to put on a show for the next generation of Lord's ground staff, of which he used to be a member, was more swashbuckling in his approach. He brought up 50 at less than a run a ball, untroubled by reports of a slow outfield with 13 boundaries in his innings, before being dismissed by Anderson.
Dean Brownlie made a start but was unable to kick on, and was trapped LBW by Finn. That brought Brendon McCullum to the crease, and he started cautiously with 1 from 17 deliveries, before bad light ended the day prematurely.
The BLACKCAPS challenge will be avoiding a repeat of England's quick wicket concession and trying to build a first innings lead for their bowlers to attack. Day two ends with the test poised in an intriguing fashion.
Day one: England 160-4
The BLACKCAPS have continued their efforts against England over the summer with a solid first day of the first Investec Test at Lord’s.
The BLACKCAPS kept the world’s second best Test team to 160-4 - a measly run rate of two per over from the rain-shortened first day.
The key now is finishing off the English innings early tomorrow and then digging in for a good couple of days with the bat at the home of cricket. Only then will the young side have proven they’re a serious chance in this two Test series.
England captain Alistair Cook won the toss and chose to bat with BLACKCAPS captain Brendon McCullum not too unhappy about his decision, suggesting at yesterday’s media conference that he may have chosen to field anyway.
The BLACKCAPS went for the same playing XI they used in the drawn home series against England, choosing spinner Bruce Martin over the fourth seamer Doug Bracewell.
That decision paid off almost immediately in the first session. After good opening spells from Trent Boult and Tim Southee, Martin got Nick Compton for 16, with the opener charging down the pitch and skying it to Tim Southee at cover.
Moments later Martin had a caught and bowled chance with Jonathan Trott not yet off the mark, but sadly the catch went to ground.
The home side went into the lunch break at 56-1 with the first session probably evenly shared but the BLACKCAPS would definitely have had the better if the Martin catch had stuck.
The afternoon session belonged to young BLACKCAP Trent Boult. Firstly the left armer from Tauranga grabbed the prized wicket of captain Cook, getting the opener caught behind by a fine catch by BJ Watling for 32.
Then just before the tea break, Dean Brownlie took a stunner of a catch at third slip to give Boult his second wicket – Trott gone for 39. England sloped into the sheds at 113-3 at tea.
Joe Root and Ian Bell consolidated the English effort in the final session, before Neil Wagner grabbed his first wicket of the day tempting Bell to get a slight nick on one through to Watling, gone for 31.
Drizzle that had been threatening the final session, eventually settled in and the day’s play was called off with 10 overs left to bowl. The home side finished at 160-4.
Boult had the best bowling figures of 2-29, and the other wicket takers were Martin 1-37 and Wagner 1-46.
Thankfully no rain is forecast for tomorrow’s second day.
