ENG vs NZ Highlights, 1st Test Day 3: Rain chaos stalls England at Lord's as New Zealand slumps to 55-5 chasing 254

08 pm GMT update - Hope peeks through! Just when it felt like the rain had settled in for a permanent residency, there is a bit of activity. We are hearing that the rain has eased and the groundstaff are hard at work clearing water off the covers. The umpires can also be seen. Now, before anyone gets too excited, the rain has teased us before, only to return a few minutes later with renewed enthusiasm. Still, the sight of people actually doing something other than staring at the weather radar can be counted as progress. Yawn.

A left-handed Joe Root - With no cricket to watch, I did what any desperate cricket lover would do and went scrolling through social media. There, hidden among the rain updates, was a little clip from the England dressing room featuring Joe Root. Front and centre was Joe Root, no longer in his whites and comfortably settled into his training kit. And what was he up to? Doing left-handed shadow batting. Root mimicked a stylish drive, then immediately set off as if stealing a quick single. Even during a rain break, the cricket brain never quite switches off. The mood inside the camp seemed pretty laid back. Given what the weather radar is showing, this Test match, in all likelihood, will stretch into a fourth day.

3.39 pm GMT update -  Don't be too excited about the prospect of a fresh update coming. Yes, this is a fresh para, but it's the same old update. It's like selling the old product in a new package. If it interests you, I can share that one of my colleagues is off for his dinner break. He has officially waved the white flag.  Meanwhile, I am still here, staring at the covers and wondering, what to update next? The rain is falling, the ground is covered, and the most intense contest at the moment is between patience and boredom. At this rate, my next update might be a review of the dinner menu rather than the cricket.

Raining again - 3.10 pm GMT update - Whatever little optimism was being generated in the previous rain stopping update has been crushed as the rain returns. A sequel no cricket fan is interested in viewing. Chances look extremely bleak of any further play happening tonight, but let's hope the glass is half filled.

Tea done. Now? The wait resumes. If any, the conditions seem to have gotten a bit better at Lord's, with the rain taking a break as well. But it is very heavily overcast. The groundstaff keep trying its best to get the conditions fit for playing.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

Ruthless? Or practical? March 2026 - Suryakumar Yadav helps India become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cup titles and claim their third crown in this format. June 2026 - After a fairly quiet World Cup by his standards and a quieter IPL, the 2026 World Cup winning captain finds himself relinquished of captaincy and even out of the squad. Unfair? Not giving the captain a longer run to find his mojo back? Maybe, in some views. But in other views, it is the best way to utilize form and talent in your country. Just have a look at the depth of talent in the Indian camp and you would find at least 10-15 players deserving a place in the squad. So, if they come in, some have to go out, right? It may sound harsh or surprising to Indian fans as they are not used to this kind of treatment to Indian players in the past. But for those who have been following global cricket, this is more or less a norm in other countries. Legends have famously quoted, 'You are as good as your latest match.'  Even someone like a Steve Waugh was politely (debatable) asked to step down, to welcome a more aggressive Ricky Ponting. That led to another era of Australian dominance. Some talents like Brad Hodge did not even get much chances to play for their country. Maybe, this is the start of long-term dominance for Indian cricket. Selection or removal is not a problem, as long as it is consistent. Welcome to the world of dominance, India.

Tea at 2.40 pm GMT - This was coming. With the rain unrelenting, the umpires have been forced to call for Tea at the original time, which is at 3.40 pm local. There is nothing much anyone can do, apart from waiting for this rain to stop. England will feel miffed, as they are in pole position in this match, but given the vagaries of this pitch, they will back themselves to finish the job as and when they get the chance. The Kiwis, on the other hand, will welcome this break and focus on how can they try and make a match out of this.

No effect on WC warmups - London has not been spared by the rain gods but it is not the same story elsewhere. The warmup matches for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup have kicked off and barring a couple of showers in the opening two games, we have largely had uninterrupted action over there.

Rain and more rain - 2 pm GMT update - There has been no positive change in the conditions from the previous update. If any, the conditions have gotten gloomier. Proper rain seems to be in the offing now, with the forecast staying true.

Imperfect pitch? That's more or less the joint opinion of two of English cricket's greatest ever captains in Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan. Neither is happy with the way the pitch has played so far. Irrespective of the overhead conditions, it is the indifferent bounce that has caught everyone's attention, with no batter seemingly confident in the middle for too long. As per the current situation, as many as 147 overs have been completed in this match and 35 wickets have gone down. Doing the math, on an average, a wicket is falling roughly every 25 balls. That's not even 5 overs. Not surprisingly, only two batters have managed to touch the 50-mark across 3-and-a-half innings. It is not a problem to see batters struggle. Neither is it to see not a single over of spin being bowled across 2-and-a-half days. The problem is the batters are forced to guess the bounce in a pitch, which should never be the case in any format.

Keep working - 1.30 pm GMT update - The groundstaff is doing all it possibly can to try and keep the covers less soaked. But the weather gods are just not kind enough. The rain has intensified and the people in the stands are moving to protected places for cover. As per the updates by the ECB which now seems eons ago, Tea was scheduled to be taken at 3.10 pm GMT, which is still roughly 90 minutes away. I am sure we will have another revised itinerary if and when we get a chance to get back on the field. Hoping for the best. Oh yes and by the way, plenty of covers are on the ground now.

Up and close - That's what England's coach Brendon McCullum seems to have been suggesting to his bowlers since Day 2. He has been animatedly gesturing to his players to have more players in catching positions and it has had a remarkable effect. The latest example is that of Daryl Mitchell playing from his crease, to a ball which he would have otherwise been forward to, simply because Jamie Smith was standing upto the stumps. Going further, there have been 22 dismissals of bowled and LBW combined in this match, with as many as 10 LBWs. A couple more, and which seems highly likely, going by this match so far, and we would end up creating a new record for the most number of dismissals as bowled and LBW in a Test match at Lord's.

Time for another visit to the dressing rooms - 1.10 pm GMT - It is not as bad as the previous rain, but it is still an interruption. The rain droplets are getting bigger and the umpires are taking the players off the field again. The good thing is that only the hover cover is on, with the rest of the outfield uncovered, meaning that we can resume quickly, as, if and when the light gets better. The bad thing is now, the umpires will have to deal with both, rain and bad light before coming back onto the field. Additionally, the poor forecast for the evening is already lingering. Fingers crossed.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

Ollie Robinson to Tom Blundell, Serves it on a length, on off, Blundell gets forward and defends it to the off side.

Ollie Robinson to Tom Blundell, Excellent accuracy from Ollie Robinson. He lands it on a testing length in the line of the stumps, and the ball keeps a little low after pitching. Blundell is quick to adjust, crouching into his defense and getting his bat down in time to smother it. 

Oh dear. The light meters are out. It has gone dark again and there are rain drops in the air. The umpires get together, take the reading, observe it, have a chat but deem light fine to continue playing.

Ollie Robinson to Tom Blundell, Shaping into the batter, from a good length around off, Tom Blundell defends from the back foot with Jamie Smith standing up to the stumps.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, Tongue targets the pads but gets it too straight. Devon looks to flick but falls over a touch and misses, getting hit on the pads. Going down the leg side.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, Better line and length. Fuller and closer to the off stump, 140 kph, Conway shoulders arms.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, A bouncer, but misdirected. Down the leg side, from around the wicket, Devon Conway ducks comfortably.

Josh Tongue to Tom Blundell, This time, Tom gets the run. Back of a length, outside off, the batter stays back and dabs it towards gully with soft hands. Calls for the single and Conway's immediate response makes the single comfortable. For the numbers, New Zealand now require under 200 runs to win.

Josh Tongue to Tom Blundell, On a good length this time, outside off, Blundell pushes it towards the slip cordon, with an open bat face. Ben Duckett dives to his right from third slip and makes a half stop. Blundell looks for the run but gully comes across quickly.

Josh Tongue to Tom Blundell, Full and outside off, 140 kph, zoning in threateningly, Tom Blundell watches it closely all the way and blocks it off his front foot towards point.

Ollie Robinson to Devon Conway, Fuller and on off, shaping in, Conway is not looking convincing as he defends it from the inner portion of his bat. 

Ollie Robinson to Devon Conway, In the zone outside off, skidding away, Conway pushes at it and misses.

Ollie Robinson to Tom Blundell, Identical to the wicket delivery, but Tom Blundell is lucky to get some bat on it as he clips it behind square leg for a single.

And just like that, two batters have come and gone. 53/3 has quickly become 53/5 in the span of 10 balls. Tom Blundell walks in at number 7 now, replacing Daryl Mitchell. These are perfect bowling conditions and England have New Zealand under the cosh. Maybe, the best way now is to play Bazball against Baz' team?

Ollie Robinson to Daryl Mitchell, OUT! GIVEN LBW! The moment the keeper came up to the stumps, it added another layer of pressure on the batter. Mitchell could no longer freely leave his crease to counter the movement, and Robinson makes full use of it. He slips in an inswinger from a probing length around off, beating the inside edge of the defensive push. Mitchell's footwork leaves him stranded, neither fully forward nor comfortably back. The ball thuds into the pads, the appeal goes up, and the finger follows almost immediately. Mitchell reviews, hoping for a reprieve, but the replay only confirms England's celebrations. Impact is in line, and Ball Tracking shows it is clipping the leg stump. Umpire's call stays. New Zealand are now five down, with another 201 runs still required. England, meanwhile, are halfway to the ten wickets they need.

Ollie Robinson to Daryl Mitchell, Ollie Robinson bowls it on a length and close to off, angling in, Daryl Mitchell stays on the back foot and defends it down.

Ollie Robinson to Daryl Mitchell, Robinson bowls it on a length and outside off, Daryl defends it off his front foot.

Seeing the stumps rattled is a wonderful sight for a bowler. But it is death rattle for a batter. Of the 12 bowled dismissals in this match, 7 have been that of the Kiwi batters. They seem to have found it more difficult to adapt to the seaming conditions. It is more of the movement off the deck than the air which has been catching the batters off guard.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, Sliding down the leg side, Conway tries to clip it late but misses. It goes off his pads to leg gully. End of a testing over.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, Extra bounce again, around off, DC defends it to the leg side with a loose bottom hand.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, Around off on a length, defended from the back foot.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, Ouch, that would have hurt! A lively delivery once again. Back of a good length around off and shaping in, Conway presses forward to defend, but the ball kicks up unexpectedly after pitching. It climbs sharply and strikes him high on the gloves, forcing him to take his bottom hand off the bat immediately. The surface has certainly come to life, and batting is becoming an increasingly uncomfortable task.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, Shortish and on off, dabbed down in front of the slip cordon.

Josh Tongue to Devon Conway, What was that! That one reared up like a spitting cobra. Pitched in the corridor outside off, it explodes off the surface and climbs sharply at Conway. Caught by surprise, he attempts to sway out of the way while also half-thinking about playing at it, but ends up doing neither convincingly. The ball flies past him, leaving the batter beaten by both the bounce and the pace off the pitch.

So Ollie Robinson keeps one of his traditions intact - of never going wicketless at Lord's. Now, for the other tradition, from England's point of view - to at least take 2 wickets in every innings at this venue. Daryl Mitchell walks in next, at number 6, replacing Rachin Ravindra. By the way, that was the 12th bowled dismissal of this match!

Ollie Robinson to Rachin Ravindra,  OUT! SOUND OF TIMBER! Robinson had beaten Ravindra on a couple of occasions in this over and this time he has found the top of the off stump. Not the first bowled dismissal of this Test match and believe us, not the last either. A beauty from the bowler, and Ravindra is left rooted to the spot. Angled across from a probing length just outside off, the ball straightens enough after pitching to find a way through. Ravindra's footwork is caught in between, neither fully forward nor properly back, and he ends up hanging on the crease. He pushes tentatively inside the line, only for the ball to whistle past the outside edge and crash into the stumps. The timber is disturbed, and New Zealand lose their fourth wicket at a crucial stage. Ravindra departs after being drawn into indecision, and England tighten their grip on the contest. The visitors still need another 201 runs, while England are now just six wickets away from taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

Ollie Robinson to Rachin Ravindra, Fuller and on off, angling in, Ravindra wrists it towards short leg and the fielder there fails to stop. The ball goes in the wet outfield and they take two.

Ollie Robinson to Rachin Ravindra, Shortish and on off, angling in, this time Rachin Ravindra goes on the back foot and blocks it down.

Ollie Robinson to Rachin Ravindra, Beaten again! This one is quite wide outside, and could have been left alone without any threat. But Rachin Ravindra gets on the front foot, tries to push at it and misses.

Ollie Robinson to Rachin Ravindra, Nearly takes the outside edge. Robinson serves it on a length and around off, angling in and staying low as well. Ravindra pushes inside the line and is beaten around the toe end of his bat.

Ollie Robinson to Rachin Ravindra, Gentle hands at work. Length delivery outside off, Ravindra brings an angled bat into play and pushes it softly through the gap between gully and backward point. Two taken. 203 needed more.

Back on! The game of musical chairs continues. The players are back on the field and we are ready to resume. Ollie Robinson gets a change of ends. 7-1-13-0 so far.

Not a lengthy delay (hopefully) - Well, Shai is busy captaining the West Indies against the Sri Lankans at home but England would need a lot of hope right now. And not just England, any cricket fan would hope the same. Michael Atherton on air informs that when the rain began, things looked pretty bleak but as quickly as the gust came, it seems to have gone as well. The rain has already reduced to a drizzle. Not far from resumption, one would say.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

Off we go again - 12.37 pm GMT - The wind has picked up in intensity and the flags have started to sway around a bit. In fact, it has become pretty gusty. This could be a good as well as a bad sign. The immediate assumption would mean that rain is around the corner. In fact, the rain is sweeping in now and off go the players again. The good sign could be that, given that this is a gust, this might just be a passing shower and some rain clouds might get blown away. So we wait again.