Lunch New Zealand 209 (Southee 73, Broad 4-61) and 40 for 0 (Latham 27*, Conway 13*) path England 435 for 8 dec (Brook 186, Root 153*, Henry 4-100) by 186 runs
Ben Stokes rotated his bowlers, with the three seamers, James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad, probing away in overcast situations – though the latter skilled some troubles together with his run-up. Jack Leach additionally discovered some buy, and noticed an inside edge off Devon Conway simply evade Stokes’ grasp at leg slip.
Conway was notably dogged in crabbing alongside to 13 off 44 balls, with Robinson troubling him round off stump and brief leg when he appeared to shut the face. Tom Latham discovered a gradual rhythm, selecting off three boundaries and searching the safer of the 2 to achieve the break on 27 from 70.
England’s bowlers had taken some punishment from Southee on the best way to knocking over the ultimate three wickets, enabling them to implement the follow-on halfway by way of the morning session.
New Zealand’s first innings had an anaemic have a look at 138 for 7 on the shut on day two, however they nonetheless had an opportunity of taking the choice out of England’s arms with Southee resuming alongside Tom Blundell. Southee duly showcased his six-hitter’s eye on the best way to a bruising 73 off 49 balls – 4 runs wanting equalling his Take a look at greatest rating, made towards England on debut in 2008 – earlier than Broad completed the innings with 3 for five within the area of 12 balls.
With a lead of 226, Stokes was in a position to ask New Zealand to bat once more. A humid morning in Wellington hinted at continued help for the seamers, and the potential for the pitch to proceed to enhance for batting inspired England to have one other crack.
One of the best route out of hassle, in Southee’s view, was to provide free rein to his pure instincts. After Blundell had edged simply wanting slip in Robinson’s first over of the morning, Southee charged at his second ball from Leach and nearly obtained away with a toe-ended slog that cleared Stokes operating again from mid-on.
One other full-blooded mow down the bottom introduced 4 extra in the identical over, earlier than Robinson was slapped by way of the covers. Leach then felt the total pressure of Southee’s world-class capacity to hit sixes, thrice going the journey in a single over as New Zealand’s No. 9 raced to a 39-ball half-century.
Blundell nonetheless had designs on averting the prospect of the follow-on, however miscued an advance in Broad’s subsequent over to be held by Leach at mid-on. Henry then spliced a catch to backward level to provide Stokes the choice, which he duly took.
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
