Rachin Ravindra has dragged the third Test firmly away from England at Trent Bridge, leaving Ben Stokes’ side needing a sharp fourth-day reversal to keep the series alive.
New Zealand closed day three on 120-3, a lead of 204, after England lost their last eight wickets for 130 and were bowled out for 354. The Guardian’s live report recorded Ravindra unbeaten on 60 and Daryl Mitchell 26 not out at stumps, with their stand worth an unbroken 69.
Why Ravindra’s stand mattered
England briefly had the opening they needed when Jofra Archer removed Tom Latham and Devon Conway before Gus Atkinson accounted for Henry Nicholls. At 51-3, New Zealand were exposed. Ravindra changed the tone by refusing the loose chase outside off stump and punishing anything straight enough to let him score square.
The deficit came from England’s own morning failure. Joe Root and Jacob Bethell did not add to their overnight scores, while Harry Brook’s 58 only slowed the damage rather than changing the shape of the day. It leaves the hosts chasing a low-probability route back despite Stokes’ recent all-round surge, already covered by ReadCricket after his Kallis milestone at Trent Bridge.
New Zealand do not need to sprint from here. Another 70 or 80 runs would move the chase into genuinely awkward territory on a surface now offering uneven bounce. England’s first hour on day four has become the match.
