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ENG vs NZ 1st Test: 17 Wickets Fall on a Crazy Day 2 as England Closes in on Victory at Lord's

The opening Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord's is moving forward at an unbelievable pace. In a game heavily dominated by the bowlers, a staggering 17 wickets fell on Day 2 alone. By the time stumps were drawn, England found themselves just seven wickets away from securing a massive win, while New Zealand was left struggling at 36/3 in their challenging run chase.

Here is a complete breakdown of how the dramatic second day unfolded.

Morning Session: Ollie Robinson Shines

The day started with New Zealand resuming their first innings at 61-6. Despite a quick and aggressive 38-run knock from Kyle Jamieson, the Kiwi batting lineup couldn't survive for long. England's pacers were relentless.

Ollie Robinson was the star of the morning session, finishing off the tail to claim a brilliant 5-wicket haul (5-39)—his first since 2022. New Zealand was bowled out for just 113, handing England a crucial 27-run first-innings lead.

England's 2nd Innings: A Debutant's Class and a Shocking Collapse

England’s second innings was a rollercoaster of emotions. Debutant opener Emilio Gay showed immense class, scoring a composed 50 off 84 balls. He built a solid 52-run opening stand with Ben Duckett, helped by some sloppy fielding from the tourists, who dropped a total of five catches in the innings.

However, once Gay was dismissed, absolute chaos followed. England suffered one of their worst mid-innings collapses, losing 4 wickets for just 1 run in a span of 11 deliveries. New Zealand's Nathan Smith turned the game upside down, delivering a fiery spell to dismiss star batters like Joe Root (8) and Ben Stokes (0). Smith finished with exceptional bowling figures of 6-70.

The Lower Order Rescue

Reeling at 127-6, England desperately needed a partnership, and their lower order delivered. Jamie Smith played a vital knock of 39, while Ollie Robinson (29*) and Gus Atkinson (14) added valuable runs. This late resistance helped England post a respectable total, setting New Zealand a very tough target of 254 runs to win on a vicious Lord's pitch.

New Zealand's Run Chase: A Disastrous Start

Chasing 254 was never going to be easy, and the English pacers made sure of it right from the start. New Zealand's second innings began with a nightmare when captain Tom Latham edged Gus Atkinson's delivery to the slips for a duck in the very first over.

Things only got worse from there:

• Kane Williamson (18): Trapped LBW by Josh Tongue. This could very well be the modern legend's final Test innings at the historic Lord's ground.

• Will O'Rourke (0): Clean bowled by a fiery delivery from Atkinson.

By the end of Day 2, New Zealand was left tottering at 36/3, still needing 218 runs to win. Devon Conway managed to survive the closing overs and remained unbeaten on 12.

What to Expect on Day 3?

With the pitch offering massive assistance to the fast bowlers and England just 7 wickets away, the hosts are the clear favorites to wrap up the match on Day 3. Unless the New Zealand batters pull off a historic miracle or bad weather interrupts play, this thrilling Test match is heading for a swift three-day finish.