Familiar flaws cloud over England's bright new dawn

It was the kind of morning that England could only have dreamed of.

For all the talk of a new era, a bright new dawn under the exciting leadership duo of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, England are still a side with just one win from their last 17 Test matches.

So, as the wickets tumbled in the first hour, world Test champions New Zealand were reduced to 12-4 before 'recovering' for 39-6 at lunch, the sense of mild disbelief around Lord's was entirely understandable.

So, too, was the nagging feeling that it was all just a little bit too good to be true.

Statement performances have been a feature of both Stokes and McCullum throughout their playing careers, but the accepted consensus was that improving England's fortunes in red-ball cricket would be a gradual process.

One session does not change that, of course, but the value of making such a start and showing that they can impose themselves and dominate one of the leading sides on the planet should not be underestimated.

For a side that has been sapped of its confidence over the past 18 months, anything that can help maintain the feel-good factor that has been evident since the recent appointments were made, is to be welcomed.

Yet for all the good work done in the field, the day ended with a feeling of 'here we go again' as a batting collapse saw the home side slump from 59-0 to 100-7. Some habits are hard to break.

Back down to earth with a bump and the scale of the task facing McCullum and Stokes brought into sharp focus.

Rewind to the morning session and it was the old guard that ensured the new regime got off to the best possible start, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad - with the help of Jonny Bairstow at third slip - doing the damage to dismantle the Black Caps'