Last Updated on 46 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
Test cricket’s return to Lord’s has been interrupted by rain. The first session of the highly anticipated series between England and New Zealand was cut short due to inclement weather, with only 10 overs possible.
Kyle Jamieson struck early, dismissing debutant Emilio Gay with a superb delivery that straightened from around the wicket. Ben Duckett (12*) and Jacob Bethell (4*) remained unbeaten, but not before having to deal with accurate bowling, movement and some uneven bounce off the Lord’s pitch.
Lord’s weather forecast: Will it rain on day 2 of the ENG vs NZ Test?
Rain remains a possibilty for much of day one, but how does the forecast look for day two? According to BBC.com, the official forecast is promising; “sunny intervals and a gentle breeze” with a top of 18 degrees celsius on Friday. There is a 0% chance of precipitation, rising to only 10% at 4pm.
AccuWeather paints a similar picture. The platform reports “clouds drifting through sunshine” with a top of 18 degrees celsius and just a 25% chance of precipitation during the day.
England sit third-last in the World Test Championship (WTC) table and are on a mission to right the wrongs of a poor Ashes campaign down under six months ago. They decided to keep Brendon McCullum as coach, who has vowed to finish the job he started in 2022.
“The period of reflection post-Ashes has actually been pretty good to get some clarity around some of those things as well,” McCullum said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “From my point of view, I was always very keen to finish the job that we started.
“Now it’s about how do we navigate a way forward. How do we add skills and tools so that the next time we’re in that same situation, we’re able to actually handle it better so that we can play the style of cricket that we want that gives us the best chance?”
On the other side, New Zealand sit second in the WTC Table having played just three matches. The last time they toured England – in 2022 – they were on the wrong end of Bazball’s debut, losing 3-0 despite not playing too badly.
