New Zealand

Cook satisfied as England hit the ground running

London: England captain Alastair Cook was satisfied with his team's performance after they beat New Zealand by 170 runs in a fluctuating first Test at Lord's on Sunday.

Widely criticised following the recent 0-0 series draw in New Zealand against a side ranked six places below them, England produced a disciplined bowling display to skittle the touring side for 68 in their second innings.

"It was a good Test win but it's important to keep a lid on it," Cook told a news conference."We knew we wanted to hit the ground running this summer."

England, who meet Australia in a five-Test Ashes series starting in July, looked to be heading for a comfortable win when Joe Root and Jonathan Trott shared a third-wicket partnership of 123 on Saturday...more    

Stuart Broad sets up huge win for England at Lords

London: With nearly two days to beat England in the first Test at Lord's, New Zealand looked like they might not last two hours after reaching lunch at 29-6 on the fourth day. Tasked with defending 238 to prevent their first loss to the Kiwis in 14 years, England were set to win big and with more than a day to spare. Stuart Broad caused most of the carnage, snaring...  

As it happened: England vs New Zealand, 1st Test, Day 4.

CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day four of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. Day 3 Round-up: James Anderson and Steven Finn continued the good work from the previous day and bowled out New Zealand for 207. England's second innings did not get the start it needed as both openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton departed in quick successions. Joe...  

England lead NZ by 205 after 3 days at Lord's

London: After two days of being oppressed by New Zealand, England broke the stranglehold in impressive style to take charge halfway through the first Test at Lord's on Saturday. First, New Zealand was dismissed for 207 to give England a first-innings lead of 25, a significant amount on a tricky, soft pitch. That lead was then boosted from 25 to 205, as Joe Root and Jonathan Trott found runs easy...  

As it happened: England vs New Zealand, First Test, Day 3

CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day three of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. Day 2 Round-up: James Anderson took his 300th Test wicket and then ended a bold counter-attack by New Zealand's Ross Taylor as England fought back in the first Test at Lord's. The two players lit up a Lord's bathed in artificial floodlight to counter the overhead...  

James Anderson joins England 300 club

London: James Anderson became only the fourth England bowler to take 300 Test wickets when he dismissed New Zealand's Peter Fulton on the second day of the first Test at Lord's on Friday. Lancashire seamer Anderson joined Ian Botham (383), Bob Willis (325) and the late Fred Trueman (307), the first man in history to take 300 Test wickets, in a select quartet of England bowlers. The 30-year-old Anderson started...  

James Anderson bowls England back into first Test

London: James Anderson took his 300th Test wicket and then ended a bold counter-attack by New Zealand's Ross Taylor as England fought back in the first Test at Lord's. The two players lit up a Lord's bathed in artificial floodlight to counter the overhead gloom of Friday's second day which ended with New Zealand 153 for four in reply to England's first innings 232, a deficit of 79 runs. Anderson...  

As it happened: England vs New Zealand, First Test, Day 2

James Anderson took his 300th Test wicket and then ended a bold counter-attack by New Zealand's Ross Taylor as England fought back in the first Test at Lord's. The two players lit up a Lord's bathed in artificial floodlight to counter the overhead gloom of Friday's second day which ended with New Zealand 153 for four in reply to England's first innings 232, a deficit of 79 runs. CLICK HERE...  

England crawl to 160/4 on Day 1 against New Zealand

London: In the curtain-raiser to an action-packed English summer of international cricket, New Zealand stole the show by limiting England to a plodding 160-4 on the first day of the first Test at Lord's. The stage was set for England to show their true colors on Thursday, with the team back at full strength, at cricket's HQ, and desperate to rectify for a humbling series draw in New Zealand two...  

As it happened: England vs New Zealand, first Test, day 1

New Zealand bowlers kept a check on the run-rate as England batsman got out after getting starts. Trent Boult got 2 two wickets with Martin and Wagner taking one each. CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day one of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. PLAYING XIs: ENGLAND: 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Nick Compton, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell,...  

New Zealand to make late decision on bowling attack

London: New Zealand will assess weather and pitch conditions on Thursday morning before making a final decision on whether to field four pace bowlers in the first Test against England at Lord's. On the eve of the first match in the two-Test series on Wednesday, captain Brendon McCullum said the final place would go to either Doug Bracewell or left-arm spinner Bruce Martin, who played in the drawn three-match series...  

No lack of effort or application in NZ, says Cook

London: England were not complacent or under-prepared during their disappointing tour of New Zealand this year, captain Alastair Cook said on Wednesday. England, the world's second-ranked side, were outplayed by their eighth-ranked hosts and only a courageous century by Matt Prior and a rearguard batting effort on the final day secured the draw in the third test that left the series level at 0-0. "It was not a lack of...  

Wasim Akram inspires New Zealand's Boult

London: New Zealand's Trent Boult hopes to succeed where cricket hero Wasim Akram failed by getting his name on the Lord's honours board during this week's first Test against England. Left-arm seamer Boult proved a thorn in England's side with six wickets in the drawn third Test at Auckland in March where the tourists hung on to claim a draw with just one wicket standing as a thee-match series ended...  

Broad wants England batsmen back among the runs

London: Stuart Broad believes England's top-order batsmen hold the key to victory in their upcoming two-Test series with New Zealand. While it is a truism that pace bowling allrounder Broad and the rest of the England attack must take 20 wickets if they are to win any Test, big scores from the team's batsmen give bowlers runs to play with and put pressure on the opposition. That was certainly the...  

1st Test: England must improve to beat feisty New Zealand

London: England have been left in no doubt about what will be required of them in the first Test against New Zealand starting at Lord's on Thursday. The world's second-ranked team struggled on their recent tour of New Zealand where they were outplayed in the three-Test series, salvaging a 0-0 draw only by stubbornly batting out a gripping final day of the third match in Auckland. With the five-match Ashes...  

Trent Boult excited to play at Lords

Trent Boult is confident the experience of playing a first Test at Lord's will prove an inspiration and not a burden when New Zealand face England in their series opener at 'the home of cricket'. Left-arm swing bowler Boult was a member of the New Zealand side that so nearly sealed a series-clinching won over England in Auckland two months ago, taking six first-innings wickets. England, thanks mainly to an...  

Prior bags England player of the year award

London: Matt Prior was named the England cricketer-of-the-year for 2012/13, in an acknowledgement of the Sussex wicket-keeper's consistency with both bat and gloves. The 31-year-old is now one of the first names on the team sheet after England captain Alastair Cook and the latest demonstration of his worth to the side came with his match-saving unbeaten hundred in the drawn third Test against New Zealand in Auckland in March. Prior...