New Zealand captain Tom Latham lamented his side's lack of clinical execution after England claimed three late wickets to seize the momentum on the opening day of the first Test at Lord's.
England fight back after New Zealand's solid start
New Zealand had reached 246 for 3 before a dramatic collapse saw them lose three wickets for 12 runs in the final session, finishing the day on 258 for 6. Latham, who top-scored with 78, admitted the team failed to capitalise on a strong platform.
"We were in a really good position at 246 for 3, but we let it slip," Latham said. "We probably weren't as clinical as we would have liked in that last hour. England bowled well, but we need to be better at seeing off those periods."
Key wickets fall in quick succession
The late wickets were taken by England's pace duo of James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, who dismissed Devon Conway (67), Henry Nicholls (42), and Daryl Mitchell (19) in quick succession. Anderson finished with 2 for 47, while Robinson took 2 for 55.
Latham acknowledged that the team's batting effort was undermined by the lack of partnerships in the final session. "We lost wickets in clusters, which is something we pride ourselves on avoiding. We need to regroup and come back stronger tomorrow."
New Zealand look to rebuild on day two
New Zealand will resume on day two with Tom Blundell (31 not out) and Kyle Jamieson (8 not out) at the crease, looking to push the total past 300. Latham remained optimistic about the pitch conditions, stating that the surface is still good for batting.
"The pitch is still pretty good, so if we can get a few more partnerships, we can post a competitive total. It's important we start well tomorrow."
England's late surge has given them the edge, but New Zealand will be hoping to counter-attack on the second morning.
