RICHARD GIBSON AT LORD'S: No amount of County Championship match practice could have prepared Jacob Bethell for the preposterous pea-roller that dragged New Zealand back into this contest.

LAWRENCE BOOTH: Shortly before 3pm on another seam-dominated day, Gay tucked Smith through square leg and set off for the two runs that brought up his first Test half-century.

England's match against New Zealand will be the 150th Test played at Lord's, since the first ever back in 1884 when the hosts thrashed Australia by an innings and five runs. But which is No 1?

Jamieson, 31, considered his 'career mortality' when a stress fracture of his back reopened where a screw from a previous operation was positioned in February 2024.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT LORD'S: Just when it looked as if England's new era was going to start with a false dawn, up stepped a figure from the past to encourage thoughts of a brighter future.

On the subject of their relationship, England have been touchy. In April, they rushed out an in-house interview with Stokes in which he stressed he and McCullum got on 95 per cent of the time.

The message of support from an old ally arrived in the days that appeared to be shaping up as Brendon McCullum's last as England's head coach. 'I could empathise with him,' Matthew Mott says.

RICHARD GIBSON: Jofra Archer is not featuring in the first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord's starting on Thursday.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: In Bazball's first Test series four years ago, Daryl Mitchell scored a century in every match - matching a feat set by Don Bradman. He still ended up on the losing side.

McCullum's addressing of the media allows his players to concentrate on creating a more refined style following a chastening 4-1 Ashes defeat last winter.

Making a Test debut at Lord's as an England opening batsman is like nothing else. But what makes a Test match at the home of cricket different? Those that know reveal all to Daily Mail Sport.