Robinson shines as England falter on day one against New Zealand

It took two years for Ollie Robinson to force his way back into the England set-up and then about five minutes to win over their supporters. ­Steaming in from the Nursery End, ­Robinson produced a devastating three-wicket first over – and four overall – to cap an absurd opening day against New Zealand.

Some 16 wickets fell across only 60 overs of rain-affected play and, if this Test was being played in Australia, the groundsman might be feeling twitchy about having to give a press conference on Saturday. The pitch may ease up before then, even if the quicks on both sides will be hoping it stays just as fruity.

Kyle Jamieson was the initial seamer in his element here, figures of five for 62 helping roll England for 140 all out to see the post-Ashes reset fall flat. But it turned out this was just for starters, with Robinson then making up for lost time by ­tearing through New Zealand’s top order to leave them 61 for six at stumps.

Perhaps it was fitting that Jimmy Anderson’s old song should be repurposed by the fans as he set off on his spree. Robinson was the man earmarked to take the baton from Anderson back in 2024, only to fall foul of England’s standards regarding preparation – some feat, in hindsight – and fear there was no coming back.

How the 32-year-old backs up this initial return will be the true acid test, because the skills were never in doubt. Here they were on full show, trapping Devon Conway lbw with his third ball, getting Kane Williamson caught at short leg with his fifth, then signing off the over with another pad-thumper to Rachin Ravindra.

Robinson’s harrying six-over spell went on to feature Daryl Mitchell being bowled shouldering arms, with Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue striking either side. These were ideal bowling conditions, with clouds all day and the Dukes ball moving ­lavishly. Even so, it was some handbrake turn given where England were at the changeover.

Perusing that first innings ­scorecard, it would be easy to assume that the Bazballers had crumbled once more amid a flurry of swipes, yahoos, and reverse-scooped madness; perhaps offer a tut about yet more recklessness.

But save for Harry Brook holing out on 56 – and only then when with the tail, and reasoning it was time to step on the gas – this was a less frenetic ­collapse than usual. It was ­suboptimal all the same, not least after New Zealand lost their attack leader, Matt Henry, to back spasms following his opening spell.

Among it all was a ­heartwarming story. Playing his first Test for more than two years after a battle with lower back stress fractures, ­Jamieson’s reward for all that rehab and gym work was to etch his name on the Lord’s honours board.

Yet as excellent as the tourists were – see also a sublime one-handed slip catch by Williamson to remove Ben Stokes – there was a degree of timidity to ­England’s approach. It pointed to a team struggling to recalibrate after seeing four years of dogmatic brain-training go down the gurgler in Australia.

Perhaps Ben Duckett leaving the first two deliveries of the morning was the red flag. Duckett loves to feel bat on ball and had made it a virtue until Mitchell Starc got to work. Like a number of his colleagues, the sense is that Duckett wants to be more responsible this year. Whether it will suit him is another matter.

Fresh from being presented with his England cap by Alastair Cook – his fellow Bedford School alumnus and not dissimilar in terms of set-up – Emilio Gay could scarcely have wished for a friendlier first delivery in Test cricket: a full toss from Jamieson was drilled through cover for four to open his account.

But during the 45 minutes of play before the first two-hour stoppage for rain, the left-hander could only add one more boundary – a crisp on-drive – before Jamieson located his radar, squared him with a ball from around the wicket that nipped away, and sent a low catch to first slip. Welcome to Test cricket.

No Henry was no problem for New Zealand after the restart as, from 31 for one, England lost three wickets in the space of 14 deliveries. Jamieson took the plaudits at the end but it was Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke who did the damage here, combining nibbling outswing and 90mph pace to great effect.

First went Duckett, pinned lbw for 19 to a ball from Smith that ­jagged in. Jacob Bethell soon went the same way to O’Rourke, albeit trying to drive down the ground and missing the ball by some margin. The big one was Joe Root, undone for one by some bounce from O’Rourke as he opened the face of the bat and edged behind.

The most telling dismissal was that of Jamie Smith for one, bowled ­shouldering arms to Jamieson to make it 55 for five. The ball decked in a mile here, making it less galling than that previous brain fade in Sydney in January when he slapped Marnus Labuschagne to cover. Equally, it was a bad misjudgment.

Much like in Melbourne and that notorious two-day Ashes Test, Brook was showing the way, meeting the challenge with a more positive half-century. Granted he was dropped twice but the right-hander was still playing his natural way.

What that is for Stokes these days is harder to discern given that mid-Ashes move to drop anchor and the broader struggle that has dropped him to No 7. Still, as meek as the prod to Jamieson on 12 was, Stokes could console himself with the fact that Williamson’s flying pouch at third slip was a genuine jaw-dropper.

Jamieson was also proving a ­serious handful. There was a bit of ­defiance from England’s tail, Tongue and Shoaib Bashir ­making 10 and 14 respectively, but not before New Zealand’s 6ft 8in ­trebuchet had ­completed his five by ­trapping ­Atkinson in front and tickling a light under-edge from Robinson.

In turn, the movement on offer was only ever going to be catnip for a bowler such as Robinson. And as ­England left the field at stumps and their supporters filtered out of the gates, they were grateful for this ­particular aspect of the reset.