Jamieson strikes give NZ hope

London, June 4: Kyle Jamieson took three wickets as New Zealand pressed for victory by once again ripping through England’s infamously weak top order in the first Test at Lord’s on Saturday.

England were 99 for four at tea on the third day, still needing a further 178 runs to reach a victory target of 277, with towering paceman Jamieson returning fine interval figures of three for 24 in nine overs.

England, with just one win from their previous 17 Tests, were left looking to new captain Ben Stokes (15 not out) and former skipper Joe Root (23 not out) to pull off an improbable win in the first of this three-Test series.

Stokes, on his 31st birthday, received a lifeline when on one he played on, after recklessly charging at Colin de Grandhomme, only to be reprieved when replays revealed his opposing allrounder had bowled a fractional no-ball.

Earlier, England great Stuart Broad sparked a sensational New Zealand collapse after Daryl Mitchell made a hundred as the World Test champions, who had been 251 for four, were dismissed for 285 in their second innings.

But by then Mitchell, who made 108, and Tom Blundell (96) had shared a stand of 195 — more than either New Zealand (132) or England (141) managed in their first innings.

There have been only three successful fourthinnings run chases of over 200 in Lord’s Test history, with England’s best their 282 for three against New Zealand in 2004.

Alex Lees made a fluent start to Saturday’s pursuit, however, hitting four boundaries in his 20, only for the left-hander to be bowled leaving a Jamieson delivery.

England’s 31 for one at lunch became 32 for two soon afterwards when Jamieson had Zak Crawley caught in the slips for nine.

Ollie Pope then fell cheaply for the second time this match, bowled by a brilliant Trent Boult ball from around the wicket that came back up the slope. — AFP

Brief scores (at Tea): New Zealand 132 & 285 (Daryl Mitchell 108, Tom Blundell 96; Matthee Potts 3/55) vs England 141 & 99/4 (Joe Root batting 23, Ben Stokes batting 15, Kyle Jamieson 3/24).

— AP Kyle Jamieson of New Zealand celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Jonny Bairstow on the third day of their first Test at Lord’s cricket ground in London on Saturday.