Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett turned the Trent Bridge decider back towards England after New Zealand had threatened to bat them out of the third Test.
New Zealand resumed with Tom Latham and Devon Conway already past a 300-run opening stand, an extension of the pressure covered in ReadCricket’s day-one Trent Bridge report, but England’s captain changed the rhythm of the day. Stokes removed Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner as the tourists slipped from 392 for five to 438 all out, a total that looked far less oppressive than it had when the first wicket finally fell at 317.
Duckett answers the pressure
England still needed a clean reply after Emilio Gay fell cheaply, and Duckett supplied it at serious speed. The Nottinghamshire left-hander reached his seventh Test hundred from 88 balls, hitting 18 boundaries before Nathan Smith bowled him for 113.
Jacob Bethell’s unbeaten 70 was just as important. Calm where Duckett was urgent, he carried England to 217 for two late on day two, with Joe Root settling in alongside him and New Zealand forced to use concussion substitute Zak Foulkes after Blair Tickner was ruled out.
The injury strain had already bitten New Zealand before the match, with the ICC confirming Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips were unavailable for the finale. Without Henry’s new-ball control, England found a route back into a series decider that had looked to be sliding sharply away from them.
