LONDON — After two days of being oppressed by New Zealand, England broke the stranglehold in impressive style to take charge halfway through the first test at Lord’s on Saturday.
First, New Zealand was dismissed for 207 to give England a first-innings lead of 25, a significant amount on a tricky, soft pitch.
That lead was then boosted from 25 to 205, as Joe Root and Jonathan Trott found runs easy to harvest to help give England 180-6 at stumps.
New Zealand fought back with four wickets in six overs in the last hour, three of them to the tireless Tim Southee, but that joy was offset by injuries to wicketkeeper BJ Watling, who hurt his left knee, and spinner Bruce Martin, who strained his right calf and limped off after his 13th over. Neither finished the tea session.
Root, bowled for 71, one shy of his test best on debut in December, and Trott combined for a stand of 123, easily the biggest of the match. They scored at pace to give themselves at least the last four sessions to bowl at New Zealand. Especially after New Zealand’s first bat lasted less than three sessions.
Root and Trott came together when New Zealand thought they regained the advantage by removing both openers with the total on 36.
Captain Alastair Cook was undone on 21 by leftie seamer Trent Boult for the fourth time in four tests. Fellow opener Nick Compton, on 15, was set up well by Neil Wagner, who threw three wide ones to Compton then beat him between bat and pad to knock over his off stump.
However, Root, England’s golden boy, and Trott, who has two centuries at Lord’s, comfortably handled the New Zealand attack. Their only trouble was self-inflicted when they almost ran themselves out midway through the last session.
His sixth boundary of eight brought up his second test 50 off 78 balls. His middle stump was clattered by Southee after 120 balls.
Southee then bowled Jonny Bairstow for 5, and ousted Matt Prior, who squirted the ball to sub Martin Guptill at square leg. Southee had three wickets in 16 balls and Prior a pair of ducks in the same week he was named England player of the year.
Part-time offspinner Williamson took out Trott for 56, after reaching his 15th 50.
"The guys ambled through the first half of that (tea) session and Brendon pulled us together at drinks and gave us stern words," Southee said. "We needed something because England was cruising. Everyone lifted a little bit and we got one wicket then a few more."
At the crease were Steven Finn on 6, and Ian Bell, who woke up sick and didn’t come to Lord’s until late afternoon, was yet to score.
"I was very disappointed not to kick on, and after giving (New Zealand) a sniff tonight we’re quite down about it," Root said. "We need to get going tomorrow; Belly battling for us with Finny, hopefully we can get a few more on the board."
England’s turnaround in fortunes began with the fifth ball of the day, when McCullum, on 2, came forward and nicked Stuart Broad for a catch behind, confirmed by review.
McCullum averaged a team-leading 83 in the home series but has cooled off considerably. He scored only 1 last week in the warmup against the England Lions.
He was Broad’s only wicket on Saturday, but it started New Zealand’s slide.
Broad and Steve Finn gave fellow paceman James Anderson the support they failed to offer the day before, and they took New Zealand’s last six wickets while conceding only 54 runs.
Anderson, who took his 300th test wicket on Friday, added two more cheap ones to finish with 5-47, his 13th career five-for, and third at Lord’s.
Finn, back off his long run-up after the short run was largely unsuccessful in New Zealand in March, took 3-21 on Saturday to grab 4-63 and maintain his superb test average on his home ground. He’s taken 29 wickets at 21 in five tests at Lord’s.
The only highlight for the Kiwis was seeing Kane Williamson, 44 overnight, reach his third half century against England this year. He was out to Anderson, glacing a leg-side delivery straight to Matt Prior. His departure for 60 from 167 balls left New Zealand at 177-6, 55 short of England’s total.
It was never threatened. Southee gave his wicket away for 12, Anderson bent the scoreless Bruce Martin’s off stump, and Finn bagged Watling for 17 and Boult for a duck in the same over.
"We had a disappointing start to the day but a satisfying end," Southee said.