Good morning and welcome to the first Test of the English summer. Forget the Ashes for a moment—there's plenty to look forward to here.
Historic Milestone at Lord's
This is the 150th Test at Lord's, making it the first ground to reach that milestone. The next one is expected to be Melbourne, sometime in the 2040s, so this is one area where England still leads the world in cricket.
Bazball's Evolution
It's a reboot for the much-discussed Bazball approach. According to head coach Brendon McCullum, it will be "slightly smarter," while captain Ben Stokes says it will be "a lot smarter." As with the Ashes in Australia, the two seem to be on the same page—or at least half of it.
Key Player Changes
This is a big moment for Emilio Gay, who will make his England debut and open the batting in place of Zak Crawley, the only player dropped after a tough winter. It may be an even bigger moment for Ollie Robinson, the returning seamer, who gets another chance in what could be his last opportunity at the highest level.
New Zealand's Strong Squad
This is the biggest series for New Zealand since they last faced England in December 2024. They have played only six Tests since then, but they have brought a strong squad packed with experienced batters and talented bowlers. Their last major away series was impressive: they beat India 3-0.
Weather Threat
Everything is set for a great occasion—except the weather. The forecast is poor for today, even worse for Saturday, and bad again for Monday. If some water could just seep through the covers, it might be the only hope of a result. The toss is scheduled for 10:30 am, in theory.
