England and New Zealand started the English Test summer at Lord’s on June 4, bringing attention back to red-ball Cricket after IPL 2026. New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and chose to bowl first in the opening Test of the three-match series.
Before the match, a tribute took place at the iconic venue. A moment of silence was observed before the national anthems, and England players wore black armbands to honor former cricketers who passed away since the last home International match.
Some of those remembered included Ken Shuttleworth, John Jameson, Barry Knight, Robin Smith, Hugh Morris, Norman Gifford, Eric Russell, Tony Pigott, and MJK Smith. The tribute also recognized New Zealand’s Martin Crowe, marking ten years since his passing. Crowe’s daughter, Emma, rang the famous five-minute bell before the Test, receiving applause from the crowd.
The opening Test is significant for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. New Zealand entered the match ranked second in the WTC standings with two wins from their first three matches. England started the series in seventh place, having won three out of ten matches.
Weather may influence the match, with rain expected at times. Conditions at Lord’s are likely to favor seam bowlers early in the game, but rain interruptions could occur later on.
With both teams looking to improve their WTC standings, the series promises an exciting contest between bat and ball as England begins another crucial home summer and New Zealand aims to maintain their strong start in the championship cycle.
Playing XI:
England:
Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith(w), Ben Stokes(c), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir
New Zealand:
Tom Latham(c), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell(w), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, William ORourke