A new era has dawned for English cricket but despite a day of high drama, little has changed.
Just like any other fresh start over the past 19 years it began the same way - with a wicket for James Anderson. But with a rather recognisable batting collapse following hot on its heels as England limped to 116-7, this was as familiar a sight as anything we have seen over the last few years.
And whether it is Ben Stokes in charge or Joe Root, the ability of England’s batsmen to gift wrap their wickets for opposition bowlers remains strong. The good news is that the bowling still works. It only took 13 balls for the evergreen Anderson, who turns 40 in July, to nudge his incredible Test tally to 641 scalps in the most familiar of ways and provide some early reassurance to his new coach and captain.
But just as he once did back in 2003, the injection of fresh excitement from someone new bursting onto the biggest stage came from elsewhere as 23-year-old Matt Potts matched the senior pro wicket for wicket in his first Test innings.
A contribution of 4-13, as the New Zealanders were bundled out for just 132 is a terrific starting point, and provided plenty for the almost full Lord’s crowd to cheer. But it wasn’t just about Potts or Anderson who came within a DRS decision of an eighth five wicket haul at HQ.
Stuart Broad in on the act too by getting rid of Devon Conway for three, 197 fewer than his last appearance on the ground with Jonny Bairstow taking all of the first three wickets with catches at third slip.
“We should enjoy them while they are still here,” said coach Brendon McCullum of Anderson and Broad ahead of the match, and he’s right. The pair were unceremoniously dumped from the side that took on the West Indies in March, but they set the tone again here allowing Potts to enter the fray with New Zealand already wobbling on 12-3.
And it didn’t even need a red arrows flyby to add to the drama on an action packed morning in North London that saw wickets falling, spinners tumbling, and substitutes driving. From his first real involvement in the day poor old Jack Leach went sprinting after a ball heading for the boundary but after flicking it back his head hit the ground with force and he left the field with concussion.
It meant an emergency call had to be made to Lancashire leg spinner Matt Parkinson to get himself from Manchester to London for an unexpected, but deserved debut as a concussion sub. Initially one wondered whether Parkinson might make it down in time to bowl before the New Zealand innings was over, as it turned out he was in danger of failing to make it in time before he had to bat.
And to think that Alex Lees and Zak Crawley put on 59 for the first wicket, the first 50 plus opening partnership for England at Lord’s for five years. But once Crawley drove loosely at Kyle Jamieson and edged behind for 43 the floodgates opened.
Root cut tamely to gully, Stokes drove ambitiously and edged behind, while Bairstow cut confidently and chopped onto his stumps. Three senior batsmen all gone for a total of 13 runs between them, while Ollie Pope’s first foray up to three was one to forget.
New coach, new captain, same old problems.
