The Prague Post - Robinson rocks New Zealand after England collapse in first Test

England had been dismissed for just 140 themselves after losing the toss but conditions were overcast and still in favour of the fast bowlers when New Zealand began their reply.

Robinson, bowling the second over of the innings, took three wickets for no runs in four balls to leave New Zealand reeling at 2-3, with the normally reserved Lord's crowd chanting his name in what is the 150th Test at the London ground.

The 32-year-old had Devon Conway lbw with his third ball and then removed Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra for ducks with the last two balls of his opening over.

Key batsman Williamson, in what could be the 35-year-old's last appearance at Lord's, was caught off bat and pad as the ball lobbed gently to England debutant Emilio Gay at short leg.

And next ball Ravindra was lbw to Robinson, after being hit on the back leg in what is the first of a three-Test series.

Ravindra reviewed but the decision of Australian umpire Rod Tucker, standing in his 100th Test, was upheld.

Sussex captain Robinson's previous 20 Tests had yielded 76 wickets at an impressive average of under 23 apiece but doubts about his stamina and attitude, if not his skill, meant this was his first appearance at this level since February 2024.

Gus Atkinson then had New Zealand captain Tom Latham before Robinson struck again bowling Daryl Mitchell for 12, to leave the tourists reeling at 20-5.

Earlier, New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson took 5-62 in 14 overs -- the sixth five-wicket haul of the towering 31-year-old fast bowler's 20-Test career.

Harry Brook, with 56, was the lone England batsman to offer meaningful resistance and he was dropped twice during an otherwise impressive New Zealand fielding display.

Opening batsman Ben Duckett's 19 was the next highest score in an innings wrapped up inside 40 overs.

After Latham won the toss, his pacemen made England suffer, even though Matt Henry, who was passed fit following a hamstring strain, only managed four overs before leaving the field.

Gay was out for eight, while Joe Root and Jamie Smith both scored just one run in England's first Test since their woeful 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia concluded in January.

Gay, playing in place of dropped opener Zak Crawley, emulated England great David Gower by hitting his first ball in Test cricket for four before edging Jamieson to Mitchell in the slips.

Will O'Rourke (3-38) captured the key wicket of Root before Smith was clean bowled playing no shot to a Jamieson ball that cut back and knocked out his off stump.

Brook, who was dropped early in his innings by Conway, struck a couple of resounding pulls for four before he was joined in the middle by Ben Stokes, on the England captain's 35th birthday.

But Stokes fell for 12 when an edge off Jamieson was superbly caught low and one-handed by Williamson, diving in front of first slip.

Brook had another reprieve, on 45, when he pulled Jamieson to deep midwicket only for Ravindra to drop a straightforward catch.

The batsman completed a 64-ball fifty, including nine fours, but Brook holed out to Jamieson at long leg off Smith soon afterwards.

Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir managed a last-wicket stand of 22 before Bashir (14) was caught in the slips.

X.Vanek--TPP