London, June 5 (HS): After 16 wickets fell on the opening day of the Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s on Thursday, New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson remarked that in modern Test cricket, the traditional “moving day” is no longer the third day of a match but has shifted to the very first day.

Batters from both sides endured a difficult outing on a bowler-friendly surface during the opening day. England were bundled out for just 140 in their first innings, while New Zealand, in reply, slumped to 61 for 6 by stumps.

Speaking after the day’s play, Jamieson said, “Perhaps the ‘moving day’ in Test cricket has now moved from day three to day one. It’s difficult to fully assess the situation at this stage. We still have a lot of work to do with the bat tomorrow morning, and after that we’ll hopefully get another opportunity with the ball.”

New Zealand will resume batting on the second day still trailing England by 79 runs, with only four wickets remaining. The visitors will be aiming to get as close as possible to England’s first-innings total and keep themselves firmly in the contest.

However, New Zealand also face concerns over the fitness of pace bowler Matt Henry. Henry was able to bowl only four overs on the opening day before leaving the field due to back spasms.

Jamieson expressed hope that Henry would return to play a part later in the match.

“It was unfortunate to see him leave the field. Hopefully, at some point during this Test, we’ll see him back out there bowling again,” he said.

Jamieson himself has endured a lengthy battle with a back injury. The Lord’s Test marks his first appearance in the format since 2024. He had been sidelined for an extended period after suffering a stress fracture in his back.

Making a successful return, the towering pacer delivered an outstanding performance, claiming a five-wicket haul in conditions ideally suited to fast bowling.

Reflecting on his comeback, Jamieson said, “When you put in all the hard work and then the injury reoccurs, you naturally start wondering where things went wrong. But after going through the rehabilitation process and understanding the underlying causes, I gained confidence that it wasn’t simply down to me. There were several factors that contributed to it.”

Jamieson’s superb spell has kept New Zealand firmly in the contest, and with the match delicately poised, the second day could prove decisive in determining the direction of the Test.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar