England vs New Zealand 1st Test Tips - 4 June 2026
England host New Zealand in the 1st Test of the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy at Lord's. Five-day Test, 11:00 BST start (12:00 SAST). Part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle.
- England host New Zealand in the 1st Test of the three-match Rothesay series at Lord's. Day 1 starts at 12:00 SAST on Thursday 4 June (11:00 BST).
- The series is contested for the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy and forms part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
- England under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have been the highest-scoring Test side of the BazBall era but have struggled against quality seam bowling at home.
England host New Zealand in the 1st Test of the Rothesay series at Lord's, with the first ball at 12:00 SAST on Thursday 4 June. Five-day Test, part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle, and the start of a three-match series for the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy. England under Stokes and McCullum have been the most aggressive Test team in the world over the past three years but have also been the most vulnerable to disciplined seam-and-swing in English conditions. New Zealand have always travelled well to England - their seam attack suits Lord's conditions and Kane Williamson remains the spine of the batting unit. The market has England favourites at home but the Test favourite's price is short for a reason. We back a result inside five days, but the value is in the over.
The Pick Card
Prices from Hollywoodbets, Betway and Easybet. 18+. T&Cs apply.
| Selection | Bookmaker | Odds | Stake | Operator CTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England to Win | Hollywoodbets | @1.85 | 2 Units | Visit Site |
| Match to be Drawn - No | Betway | @1.40 | 3 Units | Visit Site |
| Joe Root Top England Batsman | Easybet | @2.75 | 2 Units | Visit Site |
The Form Line
England under Stokes have won 15 of their last 20 Tests at home, but the recent record against quality pace attacks - Australia, India - has been mixed. The batting unit is the strongest in the world but the bowling stocks are thinner without Jimmy Anderson. Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Josh Tongue, and Gus Atkinson will lead the attack. Wood is not in the squad - the focal seamer alongside Woakes will be Josh Tongue, back in red-ball cricket after a long injury layoff. Most SA books price England around 1.80 to 1.90 across Hollywoodbets and Betway.
New Zealand have rebuilt around their seam attack - Tim Southee retired earlier this year, Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke lead the new spine, and they have always been a side that competes in England. The batting depends heavily on Williamson and the young middle order. The travel and the Lord's slope are factors but New Zealand have history at this venue.
Head to Head
| Series | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 series | New Zealand | England won 2-1 |
| 2022 series | England | England won 3-0 |
England have won the last two completed series but New Zealand grabbed a Test in the 2024 series in New Zealand. The home advantage at Lord's has historically been a deciding factor.
Team News
England will name their final XI on Wednesday. Atkinson and Josh Tongue are expected to share the new ball, with Woakes the third seamer. Wood is not in the squad - Tongue is the X-factor selection, returning to red-ball cricket after his injury layoff and capable of touching 90mph on a responsive Lord's surface. The batting top six is settled - Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes. New Zealand are expected to start Williamson, Conway, Mitchell, Latham in the top order. Confirmed XIs the day before the match - check the Easybet match centre.
Verdict
England win this most series at home, especially the first Test, where the surface tends to favour the batters with bounce and carry rather than lateral movement. A draw is unlikely given the BazBall scoring rates - that is the lead pick. Three picks: England to win with Hollywoodbets, match draw no with Betway, and Joe Root top England batsman with Easybet.
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