Rain frustrates England victory quest at Lord's

LONDON: Persistent rain sweeping over London restricted play on the third day of the first ​Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s on Saturday ‌to just 9.4 overs with the visitors struggling at 55 for five in their second innings in search of a winning target of 254.

The rain fell steadily ​throughout the afternoon and after several inspections the umpires finally ​called play off at 5:30 p.m. in the 150th Test ⁠to be staged at the home of world cricket.

In what little ​play was possible, Rachin Ravindra, who had already endured a miserable match ​after dropping two catches he should have taken and departing for a first-ball duck in the sensational opening over from paceman Ollie Robinson, opened his account with ​a handsome off-drive for four.

But he added only four more when ​another unplayable delivery from Robinson shot past his bat and knocked out the off ‌stump.

Robinson leads England fightback after New Zealand’s Jamieson humbles hosts

Ravindra ⁠was followed into the pavilion eight balls later by Daryl Mitchell lbw for a duck in Robinson’s next over when he played around the ball and was hit on the front pad.

Mitchell requested a decision ​review but the ​replay showed ⁠the ball would have hit the leg stump.

Robinson, 32, recalled to the Test side after a two-year absence ​due to concerns over his fitness and conditioning, set ​the match ⁠alight when he took three wickets in four balls in his opening over on Thursday to put England in command of the first match ⁠in ​the three-Test series.

The London weather forecast for ​Sunday is much brighter with sunshine and temperatures rising to 19 degrees Celsius (66.2 degrees Fahrenheit).