England vs New Zealand, 1st Test Day 1, Live Score Updates

11.30 am GMT -  We have some news. The match officials have decided to take the Lunch break at 11.45 am GMT, 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled break. With the rain showing little sign of easing, the officials have opted to bring forward the interval rather than wait for the scheduled lunch time.

11.07 am GMT - It continues to rain at Lord's, and it is quite a heavy downpour now. The radar does not make for particularly encouraging reading either, with plenty more rain expected through the afternoon. We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but rain is forecast on all five days of the Test, with interruptions possible throughout the match. All we can do is hope for the best.

Summarising the action so far - It still felt like both sides were feeling each other out before the rain arrived and brought play to a halt. After being asked to bat, England's batters have had to work hard for their runs, with the surface proving to be on the slower side. It was a brief stay for debutant Emilio Gay, who became Kyle Jamieson's first victim of the morning. The tall Kiwi took a few deliveries to find his radar, but once he did, he managed to prise out the left-hander. Usually one to take the game on, Ben Duckett has dialled back the aggression and adopted a more watchful approach, while Jacob Bethell has had a few plays and misses in his stay so far.

10.45 am GMT - As the umpires gather on the adjacent strip to discuss the looming weather threat, the downpour suddenly intensifies. The officials quickly suspend play and signal for the players to leave the field, prompting the ground staff to rush out with the hover cover. Michael Atherton reckons we could be in for a significant delay, with this band of rain expected to linger for the next hour or two. He remains optimistic about play resuming later in the day once the worst of the weather has passed.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

In the channel, on a length. Jacob lets it through to the keeper.

Nicely done. Jamieson bashes the hard length, over off. Bethell hops and gets on top of the bounce. He opens the bat face to beat the diving backward point fielder to his right and comes back for the second run.

Serves it full, on off. A bit of away movement off the surface. Duckett gets on the front foot and drops it with soft hands in front of point for a quick single.

Taken but no bat involved. Bowled on a length, on middle. Duckett stays back to defend but the ball jags back in to beat him on the inside edge. It pings him on the thigh before it is taken at second slip by Kane Williamson.

Goes a bit fuller now, on off. Duckett pushes it to mid on.

Fractionally short, just outside off. Duckett stays leg side of the ball and taps the ball on its head as he plays it to backward point.

End of a testing first over from Smith, a maiden. A bit fuller now, around off. Bethell shows the full face of the bat but the ball drops off the outer half beside the strip on the off side. Jacob is keen for a single but Nathan gets to the ball quickly and cuts it off.

Smith hurls it on a good length, in the channel. Bethell presses forward and shoulders arms.

Attacking the front pad, Jacob nudges this good-length ball to mid-wicket.

At 135 kph, on a short of a length, on the off stump. It keeps a bit low but Bethell manages to chop it down towards gully.

Fuller and angled in, on middle and leg. Bethell's head falls over a bit as he knocks it to mid on.

Smith starts with a beauty! In that testing corridor of uncertainty. Wobble seam ball, on a length. Bethell pushes out in front but the ball moves away with the slope to beat the bat.

Nathan Smith has been introduced into the attack.

Back to bowling it full, on middle, Duckett blocks it off by getting his bat out in front.

Oh, that took off. This will put the seed of doubt in the minds of these two batters. For the most part, the ball has stayed relatively low so far, but this one has kicked up sharply. On a hard length, over off. This rears up as Ben tries to fend it down. It dribbles off the shoulder of the blade towards gully.