England captain Ben Stokes expressed pride in his team's performance, securing a 115-run victory over New Zealand on a challenging Lord’s pitch. The match concluded on the fourth morning of the first Rothesay Test, but without rain interruptions, it could have ended in less than two days.

Only 996 balls were bowled across four innings, marking the fewest for a completed match at the historic venue since 1888. The pitch offered significant seam movement and unpredictable bounce, leading to wickets falling at an average of every four overs, with nine ducks among 25 single-figure scores.

Stokes remarked on the entertainment value of the match, noting the excitement of witnessing 33 wickets fall within the first two days. However, he cautioned about the long-term implications of such extreme conditions for Test cricket:

• "It’s not ideal for the future of the game."
• Stokes highlighted that while conditions were challenging, both teams faced the same difficulties.
• He emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in Test cricket, stating, "When you see extreme conditions like that, that’s not going to help the game in the future."

Hours after the match, Marylebone Cricket Club acknowledged the pitch's shortcomings, with chief executive Rob Lawson admitting it fell short of expectations due to unusual weather conditions.

Ollie Robinson earned the player of the match title with a career-best seven for 77. Meanwhile, debutant Emilio Gay made the highest individual score of the match, bouncing back from a first-innings dismissal of eight to score 57 runs in the second innings. Stokes praised Gay's resilience, stating that his performance would significantly boost his confidence in the demanding environment of Test cricket.