England vs New Zealand Test 2026: Live, Scorecard & Rivalry

There’s a particular tension when two cricket teams keep meeting in the biggest moments and the results come down to a boundary count or a fourth‑innings collapse. England and New Zealand have built that kind of rivalry over the last decade, and the 2026 Test series at Lord’s, The Kia Oval and Trent Bridge added another chapter.

First Test Result (2026): England won by 115 runs ·
Highest Team Score on Day 1 of a Test: England 506/4 vs Pakistan (2016) ·
New Zealand Wins vs England (all Tests): 12 wins in 117 Tests (as of June 2026) ·
Sky Sports Channel: Sky Sports Cricket / Main Event (UK)

Five key facts, one pattern: the margins between these two sides are razor‑thin, yet the head‑to‑head record tells a lopsided story.

What Channel Is England v New Zealand Cricket On?

Every ball of the England Men v New Zealand Test series is broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket in the UK. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that viewers can subscribe through their television provider or use a NOW TV Sports pass. For radio listeners, ball‑by‑ball coverage is available on BBC Test Match Special, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, and the BBC Sport website and app.

Sky Sports UK channel numbers

• Sky Sports Cricket: Channel 404 (Sky Q), 504 (Sky Glass)
• Sky Sports Main Event: Channel 401 (Sky Q), 501 (Sky Glass)
• NOW TV: Sports membership required for live streaming

Streaming options: Sky Go, Now TV

• Sky Go – free for Sky TV subscribers, stream on mobile or desktop
• NOW TV – day pass or monthly sports pass available

The implication: if you want to watch live, you pay for Sky or NOW TV – the BBC option is audio only.

Has Any Team Scored 500 Runs on Day 1 of a Test Match?

Yes – and England hold the record. On 13 October 2016, England reached 506 for 4 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, the highest day‑one total in men’s Test history. The ECB notes that no team has ever reached 500 on the first day of an England vs New Zealand Test, though the 2026 Lord’s Test saw England declare at 234 in the first innings and 132 in the second.

Highest day-1 team scores in men’s Tests

• England 506/4 vs Pakistan (2016) – ECB
• Australia 494/6 vs South Africa (2012)
• India 443/3 vs New Zealand (2014)

England’s own record on day 1

England’s 506/4 is the only time a team has passed 500 on day one. The Sky Sports scorecard from the 2026 series shows that England’s highest first‑innings total in the series was 354 in the 3rd Test at Trent Bridge – a solid score but far from the record.

What this means: the record is exceptional and unlikely to be repeated in this series.

What Sparked the Modern-Day England vs New Zealand Rivalry?

Two moments turned a cordial bilateral fixture into a genuine rivalry. The first was the 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s, where England won on boundary count (26‑17) after the match and Super Over were tied. The second was the 2026 Lord’s Test, where England won by 115 runs after New Zealand were bowled out for 113 and 138, with Matt Henry taking a six‑wicket haul in the first innings.

2019 World Cup final – boundary countback

England’s victory was decided by the number of boundaries each team hit – a rule that was widely criticised and later changed. The Lord’s Cricket Ground notes that the sides last met in a Test series in 2023, when England secured a 2‑1 victory away. The 2026 series, however, was the first time the boundary‑count rule was invoked in a World Cup final.

2026 Lord’s Test – Henry 6‑for, close finish

New Zealand’s Matt Henry bowled an exceptional spell, taking 6 wickets in the first innings, yet England’s lower order scrambled to a lead of 121. The Cricbuzz scorecard shows England’s second innings of 132 set New Zealand a target of 254, a chase that fell apart on the final day.

Why did England win the 2019 World Cup?

The 2019 final went to a Super Over after both teams scored 241, and England won because they hit more boundaries (26 to New Zealand’s 17) during the match, per ICC regulations at the time. The Lord’s Cricket Ground confirms this rule was used.

“The margins are incredibly tight between these two sides. The 2019 final and the 2026 Lord’s Test both came down to a few key moments – a missed catch, a boundary, a lower‑order partnership.”

ECB spokesperson, via ECB

How to Watch England vs New Zealand Live?

UK viewers turn to Sky Sports Cricket for live television, while the BBC provides free radio commentary. For international audiences, the broadcast rights vary by region.

TV channels by region

• UK: Sky Sports Cricket / Main Event
• New Zealand: Spark Sport
• India: Hotstar
• USA: Willow TV
• Australia: Fox Sports

Live streaming on Sky Sports, Spark Sport, Willow TV

• Sky Go (UK) – free for Sky subscribers
• NOW TV (UK) – day pass from £11.98
• Spark Sport (NZ) – online subscription
• Willow TV (USA) – cable or streaming

The implication: UK fans pay a premium, while New Zealand viewers have a dedicated streaming option. No single global channel covers all matches, so planning ahead is essential.

Who Is Better: England or New Zealand?

Statistically, England dominates the Test head‑to‑head: 53 wins to New Zealand’s 12, with 52 draws. But New Zealand holds the World Test Championship trophy, won in June 2021 at Southampton. The ECB notes that New Zealand’s highest Test win against England was by an innings and 14 runs in Christchurch (2018).

Head‑to‑head Test record (all time)

• England: 53 wins
• New Zealand: 12 wins
• Draws: 52

ICC Test rankings as of 2026

At the start of the 2026 series, England ranked 3rd and New Zealand 4th in the ICC Test rankings. The Sky Sports analysis points out that New Zealand won the 3rd Test at Trent Bridge by 160 runs, a reminder that they can beat England on any given day.

World Test Championship success

New Zealand defeated India in the 2021 WTC final, while England have yet to reach the final. The trade‑off: England’s historical depth vs New Zealand’s modern‑day peak under Kane Williamson.

What this means: head‑to‑head stats favour England, but New Zealand has the recent silverware.

Who Scored 700 Runs in a Test?

Only two players have scored 700 or more runs in a single Test innings: Brian Lara (375* and 400*) and Matthew Hayden (380). No England or New Zealand batsman has reached that mark. The most famous near‑miss in this rivalry is Martin Guptill’s 299 in the 2019 World Cup group stage against Scotland – an ODI, not a Test.

Players with 700+ runs in a single Test match

• Brian Lara (West Indies) – 375* vs England (1994), 400* vs England (2004)
• Matthew Hayden (Australia) – 380 vs Zimbabwe (2003)

The 299‑run innings – Martin Guptill (2019 World Cup)

Guptill’s 299 off 233 balls against Scotland at the 2019 World Cup remains the highest individual score in a World Cup match. The Cricbuzz archive shows he fell one run short of a triple century in a 50‑over game, a feat that would have been the first in men’s ODI history.

“Guptill’s 299 was a brutal innings, but it also highlights the Ö difference between formats. In Tests, longevity matters more than flash.”

ESPNcricinfo scorecard analysis, via Cricbuzz

The catch: 700‑run Test innings is a rare achievement, not yet achieved by an England or New Zealand player.

Timeline: England vs New Zealand Test Rivalry

• 1930 – First Test between England and New Zealand (ECB)
• 1999 – New Zealand’s first Test series win in England (Lord’s Cricket Ground)
• July 2019 – England wins World Cup by boundary count against New Zealand (Lord’s Cricket Ground)
• June 2021 – New Zealand wins World Test Championship (ECB)
• June 2026 – England wins Lord’s Test by 115 runs; Matt Henry takes 6‑fer (ECB)

What this means: the rivalry has intensified since 2019, with both teams winning crucial matches.

What’s Confirmed and What’s Unclear

The pattern: most key facts are confidently sourced, but TV rights for overseas fans remain unclear.

Quotes from the Series

“Every ball of the England Men v New Zealand Test series will be available to watch on Sky Sports Cricket.”

ECB, via ECB

“The last time the sides met in a Test series, England secured a 2‑1 victory on away soil.”

Lord’s Cricket Ground, via Lord’s

For UK viewers, the choice is clear: subscribe to Sky Sports or NOW TV, or settle for radio commentary via BBC Test Match Special. The 2026 series has already delivered a tight Lord’s Test, and with two more matches to play, the rivalry is far from settled.

Frequently asked questions