England v New Zealand: Joe Root and Ben Stokes lead fightback

Joe Root and Ben Stokes inspired an England fightback in the first Test against New Zealand following an exhilarating opening day at Lord's.

Root (98) and Stokes (92) put on 161 for the fifth wicket to turn the match on its head after New Zealand had reduced England to 30 for 4 in the morning session.

Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell were all dismissed inside the first hour to leave the home side in disarray.

But after Root and Stokes produced a breathtaking partnership littered with attacking intent, Jos Buttler (67) and Moeen Ali (49 not out) put on 103 for the seventh wicket to steer England beyond 300.

Matt Henry took three wickets on debut for the Kiwis but following an impressive start captain Brendon McCullum will be frustrated at how his side lost control while haemorrhaging runs to an England side scoring at a run rate approaching four an over.

Trent Boult trapped Buttler from the final ball of the day in a finish to play that typified the entertaining nature of the match and took the shine off a resilient England performance, who closed on 354 for 7.

The start of the post-Peter Moores era and Andrew Strauss's tenure as director of cricket began with two debutants in the form of Durham's Mark Wood and Yorkshire opener Lyth, who were called into replace Chris Jordan and the retired Jonathan Trott.

New Zealand, ranked number three in the Test rankings, included an uncapped player of their own in the form of bowler Henry as they attempted to lay the foundations for a first series win in England since 1999.

The tourists inserted a new-look England opening pair of Lyth and under-fire captain Cook and despite a calm start, the pressure immediately told as the tourists claimed a flurry of early scalps.

Lyth (7) edged Tim Southee to BJ Watling, before Ballance (1) and Cook (16) both fell in the space of three balls.

Ballance sliced Boult straight to Southee and Cook got a top edge on a crazy hook off Henry, who claimed his first Test wicket to leave England teetering in the opening hour.

The pressure intensified as Henry brilliantly bowled Bell (1), who made a pair in defeat to the West Indies in Barbados, as the hosts slumped to 30 for 4.

But early pressure from New Zealand, whose one-day side were runners-up at the recent 50-over World Cup, was replaced by a rousing fightback in the second hour of the morning session from England.

Root and Stokes threw caution to the wind with several expansive shots on both sides of the wicket to shepherd England to 113 for 4.

Both players went to half centuries after lunch but it was Stokes who went on with greater assurance as the all-rounder went from rebuilder to chief tormentor, dismantling the New Zealand attack.

Seemingly on course for a second Test century, Stokes was dismissed in cruel circumstances as he misread an arm ball from Mark Craig to bring an end to a partnership worth 161.

The dismissal did nothing to alter the momentum, though, as England strolled towards 250 after tea, as Root honed in on a century.

However, he would be denied too as he edged Henry to Tom Latham just two runs short of a seventh test hundred to give New Zealand late encouragement.

The breakthrough was a mere blip for England in the evening session as Buttler and Ali flourished in the pristine overhead conditions, taking to score beyond 300 with the former going to his half-century in 95 balls.

As the shadows at the home of cricket lengthened, so did New Zealand's pain and though Buttler was dismissed via the final ball of the day off the bowling of Boult, the day belonged firmly belonged to England.