England secured victory in under a session on the fourth morning of the first Test against New Zealand to launch their post-Ashes rebuild with a crucial triumph.

In their opening Test after the 4-1 loss in Australia, England used the tricky batting conditions on a substandard Lord's surface to defeat the visitors by 115 runs and lead the three-match series 1-0.

From 55-5 overnight while chasing 254, New Zealand's tough week ended as they were dismissed for 138, led by Gus Atkinson's 5-30.

After rain wiped out most of day three, England needed just seven balls on a cloudy Sunday to claim another wicket as Josh Tongue skidded one into Tom Blundell's pads.

With the ball seaming and bouncing variably, Glenn Phillips launched a long-awaited New Zealand fightback.

Phillips and Devon Conway put on 53 for the seventh wicket after Harry Brook dropped Conway at second slip.

Yet once England skipper Ben Stokes drew a miscue from Conway, the finish arrived fast.

Nathan Smith edged to the keeper, Kyle Jamieson flicked to mid-wicket and last man Matt Henry was bowled, all by Atkinson, earning the Surrey bowler another spot on the Lord's honours board.

The quick, seam-heavy character of this contest continued a pattern in recent England matches. Two Ashes Tests finished in two days, and this was the first home Test without any spin delivered by either side since 1988.

The aim is for the second Test at The Oval, starting 17 June, to deliver a better-balanced contest.

The 150th Test at Lord's proved underwhelming due to the pitch. New Zealand also appeared unusually careless, dropping five catches.

England will overlook that. Following a poor winter, the retained management needed any win to start validating the trust placed in them.

Before the match, Stokes stressed only the result counted, and now England can seal the series at The Oval.

What was gained here? Seamer Ollie Robinson excelled on his Test return, though his ability was never questioned, especially in these conditions. His task now is showing he can last the distance.

Debutant opener Emilio Gay displayed the right mindset for Test cricket and his second-innings 57 stood as the match's top score. The Durham batter will be urged to build on this and claim the spot.

Otherwise, the unpredictable flow of the game limited firm takeaways. It ended in 166 overs, the third-shortest completed Test where all 40 wickets fell.

England have succeeded in disorder before, with their sole Australia win coming amid two days of chaos in Melbourne. Can they now show the skill, grit and patience to succeed when standard Test cricket returns?

Robinson claimed two key wickets in the 9.4 overs possible on Saturday, and Tongue struck in the opening full over of Sunday. Blundell stayed on the crease and declined a review.

Robinson and Tongue might have bowled unchanged to wrap things up, but Brook parried Conway's edge off Tongue. England's first fielding lapse offered Conway a reprieve on 24.

Stokes brought himself and Atkinson into the attack, with the latter troubling Phillips as the ball lifted from a length. Just as New Zealand built momentum, Stokes delivered the breakthrough.

The captain added leg-side catchers for Conway on 41. From round the wicket, Stokes aimed at the left-hander's pads, and the leading edge was taken inches from the turf by Jacob Bethell at gully.

Next over, Nathan Smith glanced Atkinson to Jamie Smith behind the stumps, the England keeper enjoying a positive week after a tough Ashes series.

Atkinson also struggled in Australia, yet he thrives at Lord's. Across three Tests here, his 26 wickets have come at 9.5, featuring four five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket match alongside a century.