All the updates, news and stats from day four of the first Test at Lord’s
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11am: Up-Rooted
Out come the players, “Jerusalem” blaring over the PA. Joe Root scratches his guard, Kyle Jamieson to barrel in from the Nursery End. Good length, nipping down the slope, clips the outside edge… and Root turns to see it safely scooped by Ross Taylor at first slip! The clock still reads 10.59am, but New Zealand have struck, Jamieson lands it on a dime and hits paydirt first ball!
10.30am: Let’s try that again…
After the bedraggled shemozzle of day three, the weather in north London has sorted itself out and the weekend at Lord’s is set fair – which is the minimum requirement, frankly, if either side are going to be able to push for a win in this Test. Losing a full day does rather put the squeeze on things, but possibilities remain. New Zealand are sitting on a handy lead, and could easily hustle England out for 270 by tea; equally, Joe Root will have designs on still being there himself at that stage, with the prospect of batting into day five and them leaving the tourists with a Tricky Third Innings with which to concern themselves. Every chance we’ll get the Blairite “third way”, of course, and everyone will end up unhappy. But we live in hope.
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick