England thumped New Zealand by 115 runs in the first Test at Lord's as they began their post-Ashes rebuild on a winning note.
It is perhaps hard to gauge how much England have changed or improved since the 4-1 drubbing in Australia, with this clash versus the Black Caps played on a much-criticised pitch that was arduous for batting and 40 wickets falling in just 166 overs.
But the victory - sealed just under two hours into day four when Gus Atkinson (5-30) cleaned up Matt Henry to dismiss the tourists for 138 in 40.3 overs and claim his fourth Lord's five-for - is exactly the boost the team needed, and the fans demanded, after a winter of poor results and unwanted headlines off the field.
New Zealand resumed on 55-5 in their second innings, needing a further 199 runs to complete a chase of 254, and were 58-6 soon after when Josh Tongue (2-48) trapped Tom Blundell lbw for four.
Glenn Phillips (44no) and Devon Conway (41) kept the Kiwis' slim hopes alive with a punchy seventh-wicket stand of 53 from 69 balls - during which Conway was dropped on 24 by Harry Brook at slip.
However, when Conway snicked Ben Stokes to Jacob Bethell at gully, and the fielder held on to a sharp low grab, New Zealand went on to lose four wickets for 27 runs - Atkinson accounting for Nathan Smith (4) and Kyle Jamieson (6), caught behind and at midwicket respectively, before splattering Henry's stumps.
Looking back, the Black Caps may regret a lack of impetus with the bat at the start of their second innings.
This fast-moving Test had seen 33 wickets tumble across the first two days and then a further two fall on day three when only 9.4 overs were possible due to persistent rain.
England will now aim to wrap up a series win with victory at The Kia Oval from Wednesday June 17, ahead of the third and final Test at Trent Bridge from Thursday June 25.
Ollie Robinson's successful return was one of the key storylines from a whirlwind few days, with the Sussex seamer - exiled since early 2024 for fitness reasons - taking seven wickets in the game, including three in his first over on Thursday evening.
England were crying out for his skill in Australia and he has the chance to nail down a long-term place, although his challenge will be proving he has the endurance to last the course on less responsive pitches.
Opening batter Emilio Gay notched a debut half-century in the hosts' second innings - his 57 from 95 balls was the highest score of the match - after replacing the dropped Zak Crawley.
New Zealand were comfortably beaten in the end but the game could have panned out differently had they not dropped five catches across England's two innings.
The Black Caps were also left to rue not reviewing for Gay lbw to Henry when the left-hander was on 24 in England's second dig.
When the series resumes in south London on Wednesday week, there will hopefully be a more even contest between bat and ball.
The spicy, up-and-down, Lord's surface provided rich entertainment but was probably not fit for Test cricket, with Your Site' Nasser Hussain deeming it "substandard" and the MCC issuing an apology shortly after the game's conclusion.
Watch day one of the second Test between England and New Zealand, at The Kia Oval, live on Your Site Cricket and Your Site Main Event from 10am on Wednesday June 17 (11am first ball). .
