Welcome to day one of our live report of the first Test between England and New Zealand from Lord's. Join us for updates, analysis and colour. You can find our traditional ball-by-ball commentary here
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11.45am: Time for "The Rig"
Joe Root doesn't take long to turn to the newest member of England's seam attack, with Ollie Robinson coming on from the Pavilion End in the 10th over. Steady start for the man they call "The Rig" down at Sussex - and he is a pretty impressive unit - putting it there or thereabouts in the channel at around 80mph. Despite the emphasis on physical attributes, and a reputation when younger as something of a tearaway, Robinson is a real thinking bowler - as Sussex coach James Kirtley elaborated to Matt Roller in the build-up.
11.25am: Steady boys
No alarums for the NZ pair in the opening exchanges, with Latham hogging the strike for the first three overs before allowing Conway his first go in Test cricket. Anderson and Broad haven't seen the new ball swing much so far, and there's been a steady diet of ones and two before Conway punched the first boundary wide of mid-off - politely applauded, as you'd expect.
In theory, this pair should be right in Broad's crosshairs. As my colleague Gaurav Sundararman points out, since the 2019 Ashes Broad has averaged 17.70 going round the wicket to lefties. But neither has looked like being Warnered just yet.
11.15am: Equality street
England's men's team and women's teams will be wearing anti-discrimination t-shirts throughout the summer, "designed to show their collective stance against any form of discrimination in cricket". Joe Root led his players out in them for the "moment of unity" that preceded play on the first day at Lord's.
11am: Play ball!
Right then, time for the first warm-up match Test of New Zealand's tour. Latham to face the new ball, the everlasting Anderson to run in from the Nursery End. England haven't beaten New Zealand in a Test since the two teams last met here in 2015 - a watershed moment in England's recent history, as Andrew Miller notes - and Kane Williamson's side are, of course, over here to contest the World Test Championship final against India later this month. Then again, New Zealand haven't won a Test series in England since the infamous 1999 tour. Whatever happens, let's hope we're in for a corker.
10.45am: Decisions, decisions
Callooh callay! New Zealand are batting first at Lord's - could be interesting if they get 241. Slightly contrasting takes on the surface in the teams selected, certainly on the face of it. England have gone with four seamers, meaning no hard decision on splitting up James Anderson and Stuart Broad and no room for Jack Leach. Anderson in the process draws level with Alastair Cook as England's most-capped Test cricketer. Ollie Robinson joins James Bracey in winning a debut, and it looks like Joe Root and maybe Dan Lawrence will share the spinning duties.
New Zealand, meanwhile, have picked their regular spinner, Mitchell Santner, despite his lack of red-ball cricket (even by Kiwi standards) and the fact he sustained a cut to his left index finger during last week's intra-squad warm-up match. Colin De Grandhomme returns after a year out of the side, during which time he had ankle surgery, preferred to Daryl Mitchell; and Conway, the 29-year-old South Africa-born batter, will be trotting down the steps of the Lord's pavilion in just a few moments' time to open the batting alongside Tom Latham.
10.29am: Box fresh
James Bracey and Ollie Robinson become the 698th and 699th men to represent England in Test cricket https://t.co/t900Ctle7a | #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/O2nPOuG339
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 2, 2021
Two new Test caps confirmed for England - there's a fair amount of fresh meat in the squad for this series - and we're about to find out the exact make-ups of the XIs. New Zealand had already announced that Devon Conway is in line to debut last night, but there's still the No. 7/8 axis and how they cover for Trent Boult's absence.
10.15am: Lord's, ladies and gentlemen...
The last year or so has been difficult. Needless to say, of course, but at the same time impossible to get past. There is plenty going in the world that matters more than cricket, and nothing much that will be changed by events here over the next few days. But nevertheless, here we are, at Lord's for a Test match. The simple pleasures of peering out over that famously wonky greensward, taking in the 19th-century terracotta pavilion, watching the MCC members tootle about in their egg-and-bacon finery. England haven't hosted a Test at this ground since the 2019 Ashes, and even with a capacity limited to 25% for this game, it's going to feel like something of a homecoming. Throw in that their opponents, New Zealand, are currently one of the best sides in the world, and the fact both teams have a wee bit of history from 2019 here as well, and it's a potent cocktail. What's more, the sun is blazing down, there's barely a cloud in the sky and after the UK's May weather blowout we are set fair. Time to loosen the tie, drink in the rays, and get our Test on!
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
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