England’s Test squad stepped out at Lord’s on Thursday with black armbands, using the opening day of their first match of the home series against New Zealand to honour former cricketers who have died since the team’s previous international outing at home. The tribute set an emotional tone long before the first delivery was bowled, with players from both sides coming together for a quiet moment before the national anthems.
A crowd-wide pause marked the occasion ahead of the playing start, and the armbands were worn to remember several past England players, including Ken Shuttleworth, John Jameson, Barry Knight, Robin Smith, Hugh Morris, Norman Gifford, Eric Russell, Tony Pigott and MJK Smith. The ceremony also expanded to include a New Zealand legend, with Martin Crowe being recognised on the 10th anniversary of his passing.
During the proceedings, Crowe’s daughter, Emma Crowe, rang the traditional five-minute bell before the Test began, a gesture that drew appreciative reaction around the ground. With the formalities complete, the focus returned to the contest itself, where New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and chose to bowl in partly cloudy conditions.
At a glance
- England wore black armbands at Lord’s for the opening day of the first Test vs New Zealand.
- A moment of silence was held before the national anthems.
- Armbands honoured Ken Shuttleworth, John Jameson, Barry Knight, Robin Smith, Hugh Morris, Norman Gifford, Eric Russell, Tony Pigott and MJK Smith.
- Martin Crowe was commemorated on the 10-year anniversary of his death.
- Emma Crowe rang the traditional five-minute bell before the match.
- Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bowl.
- New Zealand’s pace unit featured Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke, with Nathan Smith adding to the seam attack.
- Glenn Phillips was selected over Mitchell Santner.
- England handed a debut to Emilio Gay and recalled Ollie Robinson (last Test in 2024).
- Lord’s Test is England’s first red-ball match since the 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia earlier this year.
New Zealand moved quickly to set the early tempo with a high-impact bowling group led by Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke. Jamieson and O’Rourke, both listed at a height of at least 1.97 metres, have formed part of a bold pace combination, and it is the first time they are sharing a Test attack together after working through long-term back injuries.
To complete the seam-heavy look, Nathan Smith—who had impressed with eight wickets against Ireland in a recent warm-up—was brought into the XI. Spin selection also followed a specific line, with Glenn Phillips preferred over Mitchell Santner as New Zealand shaped their balance for the match.
England’s selection moves
England made a notable personnel change by handing a debut to Emilio Gay, the Durham opener who has recently appeared in T20 internationals representing Italy. The home side also recalled Ollie Robinson, whose most recent Test appearance arrived in 2024, adding another pace option to the XI alongside captain Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue.
With the series opening at Lord’s, the game carries extra weight for England: it is their first red-ball engagement since suffering a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia earlier this year. The match, framed by tributes and selection decisions, begins an important stretch of Test cricket for both teams as they chase momentum in the opening encounter.
