Rory Burns’ century saw England fight back against New Zealand after Friday’s play was washed out.
England resumed after day three’s washout on 111-2, and could not have asked for a worse possible start.
With the first ball of the day, Joe Root found the edge from Kyle Jamieson’s delivery which was held by Ross Taylor.
Ollie Pope added 22 before he was struck on the pads by Tim Southee.
The decision was originally given not out, but reviewed by Kane Williamson to show the ball going on to hit the stumps.
Dan Lawrence was next in, but a bitterly disappointing shot saw him out for a second ball duck.
With England collapsing to 140-5 the pressure was on debutant James Bracey to perform, but he succumbed to a brilliant delivery from Southee and was bowled for a six-ball duck.
Rory Burns’ proves England’s saviour
In danger of being forced to follow-on, Burns – still in from the beginning of the innings – managed to hang in and Ollie Robinson offered resilience to see England through to the lunch break at 164-6, with 15 needed to avoid following on.
England comfortably went past the follow-on not long after lunch, and Burns pushed on to try and get his first Test century since the 2019 Ashes.
Southee then put his name on the Lord’s honours board with a five-wicket haul as Robinson launched a shot straight down the throat of Jamieson.
With Burns sitting on 82, England were 203-7 and still a mammoth 175 behind New Zealand’s first innings total.
Mark Wood then lasted just three deliveries before he needlessly played at a shot that was comfortable held by BJ Watling.
With Burns into the nervy 90s, pressure was on Stuart Broad to hang around long enough to get the Surrey man a century at Lord’s.
Broad then hit a stunning six to take him onto 10 runs, but was clean bowled with Neil Wagner’s very next delivery to put the pressure on James Anderson.
Anderson blocked out two deliveries to put Burns on strike, sitting on 98.
Rory Burns hits his century
With the first delivery of the over he played a sweet shot down to fine leg and scamped back for the two runs needed to secure a superb century – his third in Test cricket.
Despite this England were still a fair way short of New Zealand, but due to the wash out of day three, the match appeared to be heading for a draw.
Burns and Anderson both stuck in together to put on a 50 partnership for the final wicket, before the former nicked behind to Watling to end a superb knock of 132, with England all out for 275.
Despite still trailing the tourists by 103 runs, Burns’ resilient innings had given England fighting hope and questioned how many long New Zealand would bat for.
New Zealand’s second innings
The tourists’ second innings got off to a solid start, but Devon Conway could not repeat his breath-taking first innings score as he was bowled by Robinson for 23.
Captain Williamson was then given out on one after a stunning delivery from Robinson, only for him to review the decision and show an inside edge onto his pads.
However, he did not have the same luck with the very next delivery as Robinson once again smacked Williamson on the pads.
Root reviewed the decision seemingly in hope as replays showed it had hit Williamson high on the pads, but despite this DRS showed the ball crashing into off stump meaning the New Zealand captain was dismissed.
Wagner was then promoted up the order as a night watchman to slow the run rate down for the final 20 minutes or so left of the day.
New Zealand got to stumps at 62-2, with a lead of 165 going into the final day.
Robinson’s impressive spell towards the end sees him on figures of 2-8.
Coverage of the final day of the opening Test commences at 10:30 on Sunday on Sky Sports Cricket.
By Josh Mann
