London, June 4 (IANS) England’s disastrous batting display in the opening Test against New Zealand not only left them under pressure on the field but also provided fresh ammunition for one of cricket’s most mischievous social media accounts, Iceland Cricket.

Shortly after England were bowled out for a modest 140 in their first innings at Lord’s on Thursday, Iceland Cricket weighed in with a trademark jab that quickly gained traction among fans online. “You can take Zak Crawley out of the England side physically, but his spirit is still there,” they wrote on X.

The post was a playful reference to England’s selection decisions ahead of the three-match series, with Zak Crawley among the notable omissions from the squad. While the opener was nowhere near the playing XI, Iceland Cricket suggested his presence was somehow still lingering after England’s top order endured a forgettable outing.

The quip landed at a time when scrutiny over England’s batting was already intensifying. After a rain-affected start to the day, England resumed on 24 for 1 but failed to build any meaningful partnerships as New Zealand’s pace attack seized control. The hosts lost wickets at regular intervals, with the visitors exploiting favourable conditions to devastating effect.

O’Rourke and Kyle Jamieson led the charge, consistently troubling England’s batters with pace and movement, while Nathan Smith added further pressure as the innings unravelled. The collapse left several of England’s established names struggling for answers. Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, and Jamie Smith all failed to make significant contributions as New Zealand tightened its grip on the contest.

Only Harry Brook offered sustained resistance. The right-hander battled his way to 56 and stood virtually alone as wickets continued to tumble around him. Although Brook benefited from two dropped chances during his innings, he was unable to inspire a meaningful recovery and eventually fell attempting to accelerate the scoring.

England captain Ben Stokes also showed signs of settling before his stay was ended by a spectacular one-handed catch from Kane Williamson at second slip. The eventual total of 140 handed New Zealand a commanding position in the match and sparked widespread discussion among supporters and pundits alike.

–IANS

vi/bsk/