Smith and O'Rourke strike twice as England fall to 127 for 4 — England Cricket Team Vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

New Zealand took control at Lord's on the second day of the england cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team match scorecard, taking two wickets in two balls to leave England 127 for 4 after a passage that had once seen them 126 for 2. Nathan Smith and Will O'Rourke turned the session in cloudy conditions during the last half hour.

The collapse hit England after Joe Root had been pinned by a sharply cutting delivery from Smith and given out on review by umpire's call. In the same over, Harry Brook was then out lbw for a duck when O'Rourke landed a beautiful inducker.

Smith Turns Lord's

England's position changed fast. Root had been in single figures for the second time, and the live commentary said it was the first time he had been out in single figures in both innings of a Test since Perth 2025.

Smith then struck again later in the over to remove Emilio Gay, ending a debut innings that had reached 56. Gay edged to Tom Blundell, and with that his chance at a debut century was gone.

Gay's 56 at Lord's

Gay's 56 carried extra weight because he became the first England opener to make a fifty on debut since Haseen Hameed and Keaton Jennings on the 2016-17 tour of India. England had been 124 for 2 before slipping to 126 for 3, then 126 for 4 and finally 127 for 4.

That sequence handed New Zealand the sharper hand in the first men's Test between the sides. England had been effectively 148 for 2 at one point in the live updates, but the final half hour left them on the back foot before the close of the session.