Key events
James Wallace
Have you heard of the phrase BIG FIRST HOUR? It’s exactly that tomorrow. I’ll be back on the tools bright and bushy in the morning. In fact, scratch that. I will be back on the tools but make no further promises. Expectation management I think they call it.
Thanks for your company and correspondence today, goodnight!
England resumed on 223-2 this morning with Jacob Bethell on 74 and Joe Root on 21. Neither of them added to their overnight score and so the collapse began. On a pitch that was starting to show some signs of misbehaviour having been baked and broiled for two days straight, New Zealand found the right areas to capitalise. England lost their ‘last’ eight wickets for just 130 runs and gave away a first innings deficit of 84 runs.
Jofra Archer took two early wickets and Gus Atkinson chipped in with one to see New Zealand reduced to 51-3. Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell then hit back with a patient and nullifying partnership of 69 runs and counting to put the Kiwis in a commanding position heading into day four.
Andy Bull has already dipped his quill today:
ShareSTUMPS: New Zealand 120-3 lead England by 204 runs
Archer tries to hurry through his over in an attempt to get Bashir another one in, he looks to have been successful but then the umpires decide there isn’t enough time after all and flick off the bails. That’s the day done and it belongs to New Zealand. They lead by 204 runs with seven second wickets still to come, England have it all to do on day four to get back into this absorbing Test match.
35th over: New Zealand 120-3 (Ravindra 60, Mitchell 26)
Updated at 13.33 EDT
34th over: New Zealand 119-3 (Ravindra 60, Mitchell 25) Whoops! Bashir tries to experiment with a flick off the front of his fingers but sends down a beamer above head height to Ravindra! It looked like an attempted Carrom ball from Bashir but he got it all wrong, Ravindra actually did really well to ramp it away over Smith’s head for four.
Bashir recalibrates and actually sends down a challenging over, finding some grip and challenging the front pad.
Updated at 13.34 EDT
33rd over: New Zealand 110-3 (Ravindra 53, Mitchell 24) Jamie Smith is up to the stumps to Jofra Archer! This is not a drill. Archer smashes one into Mitchell’s gloves and there’s a delay while the magic spray is summoned. One ball up to the pegs was enough for Smith to think better of it and head back to safety!
You have chosen… wisely, Smudge.
32nd over: New Zealand 109-3 (Ravindra 53, Mitchell 24) A couple clipped off Bashir and it is time for Jofra. A frisson moves around the ground, there are fifteen minutes left in the day, probably time for two overs from Archer at most. England need him to rev it up to the max and prise a wicket, the partnership between Ravindra and Mitchell is into the fifties.
31st over: New Zealand 107-3 (Ravindra 52, Mitchell 23) Stokes is furious with himself as he drifts on to Ravindra’s pads and is clipped away with ease to the square leg boundary. It takes Rachin Ravindra to fifty, his second of the series. He came out today in particularly princely fashion. A single brings Mitchell on strike… Stokes lets out a loud groan as an edge flies past the cordon and away for four. England need to find something here.
30th over: New Zealand 98-3 (Ravindra 47, Mitchell 19) Three runs off Bashir’s seventh. He’s bowled well here, just 17 runs off him so far and Jofra Archer is warming up!
29th over: New Zealand 96-3 (Ravindra 45, Mitchell 18) Stokes has a tight ring field, he thunders in with sweat pouring off his brow. Dot follows dot follows dot. A second maiden in a row, England are doing well to control the runs, bowling drier than the bottom of a parrott’s cage at the moment but they need to get a scalp before the close.
28th over: New Zealand 96-3 (Ravindra 46, Mitchell 18) Bashir bowls his best over of the innings, nearly castling Mitchell with one that turns back, the batter shoulders arms and the ball hits his elbow and is this close from deflecting onto the stumps. New Zealand are digging something of a trench, they’ve scored 14 runs in the last seven overs. Bashir hits Mitchell outside the line, appeals to high heaven but his teammates explain it isn’t worth a review because it hit the big fella outside off stump. It feels like something has got to give… 30 minutes til stumps.
Jamie Smith joins in the unsuccessful shout. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PAShare
Updated at 13.07 EDT
27th over: New Zealand 95-3 (Ravindra 45, Mitchell 18) A maiden from Stokes but he does give away four byes with a shunter down the leg side that Jamie Smith can’t do owt about. Thoughts turn to what Ollie Robinson might’ve been able to do on this surface. You stop it.
26th over: New Zealand 91-3 (Ravindra 45, Mitchell 18) Close! Bashir beats Ravindra’s outside edge with a ball that lures the drive and spins away. Stokes is going to continue and Jamie Smith fetches his helmet, he’s going to stand up to the stumps. So fashionable these days.
Updated at 12.59 EDT
25th over: New Zealand 88-3 (Ravindra 44, Mitchell 16) Stokes is guided with Fairy soft hands for two behind point by Ravindra. New Zealand are effectively 172-3, England need to get a couple more in the hutch tonight you feel. We’ve got about 40 minutes left in the day here at Trent Bridge, we’ll surely see a burst from Jofra Archer before the close.
24th over: New Zealand 86-3 (Ravindra 42, Mitchell 16) Another good over from Bashir, just a couple off it and he beats Mitchell’s outside edge with the final delivery that skids on with the arm. The players are going to slurp some electrolytes. Have I mentioned this game is finely poised?
23rd over: New Zealand 84-3 (Ravindra 41, Mitchell 15) Stokes shows his side how it is done once again, six relentlessly accurate and Ravindra examining balls from the Stuey B End. A maiden.
22nd over: New Zealand 84-3 (Ravindra 41, Mitchell 15) Bashir gets into his groove in his third, finding some loop and drift. Just a couple of singles off it. We’ve still got an hour to go on day three. It feels like there’s a big one round the corner.
21st over: New Zealand 82-3 (Ravindra 40, Mitchell 14) A boisterous cheer at Trent Bridge as Ben Stokes is announced over the tannoy (It’s a brand name!) Ravindra crunches a drive that is well stopped by Emilio Gay at point. Gay has pulled off a few such stops, he looks a decent fielder in that position. Oh no! Josh Tongue swoops in the deep the prevent Mitchell and Ravindra picking up three for a squirted inside edge… but he completely misses the ball and it goes for four! The next ball is worked down to Tongue too and even Stokes gives him a sarcastic clap as he gathers the ball cleanly. It’s a bit of fun. New Zealand lead by 166 and this partnership has moved into the thirties. That’s less fun for England.
Ben Stokes enters the fray. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/ReutersShare
Updated at 12.49 EDT
20th over: New Zealand 74-3 (Ravindra 37, Mitchell 9) Bashir does indeed tighten up, landing it on a tea towel outside off and Daryl Mitchell can’t get him off the square. Six dots, your friend and mine – a maiden.
19th over: New Zealand 74-3 (Ravindra 37, Mitchell 9) Atkinson finishes his spell with 1-25 off his eight overs. I think Ben Stokes is imminent and we’ll get an almighty cheer from the home fans. Bashir to come first, can he find his line and length and…
APPLY SOME PRESSURE!
18th over: New Zealand 71-3 (Ravindra 36, Mitchell 7) Gah. Bashir starts poorly, immediately releasing the pressure created by Atkinson’s miserly and probing maiden. He’s too full to Mitchell and swept easily for three first ball. A full bunger is a gift to Ravindra and he collects two into the deep on the leg side. Seven off the over in total and Stokes won’t like that one bit.
“Some wonderful England bowling” writes Colum Fordham. “After Archer’s devastating spell, I was mightily impressed by Tongue’s wicketless (but nearly wicket-full) over bowled at breakneck speed. I’m sure his five balls to Nicholls helped set up Atkinson’s wicket ball. If England can dismiss the Kiwis cheaply, dare we dream…?”
It’s all bubbling up nicely in the Trent Bridge Le Creuset (La-di-dah)
17th over: New Zealand 64-3 (Ravindra 32, Mitchell 4) A fantastic over from Gus Atkinson who beats Ravindra outside off stump and then pegs him back and back on the crease with unerring accuracy. A maiden from Gus and here comes Shoaib Bashir. This could be a key period in this Test match, I’m sure New Zealand will look to get after him. The lead is 148 runs.
16th over: New Zealand 64-3 (Ravindra 32, Mitchell 4) Ravindra clips a full ball from Tongue round the corner for four and then unfurls a thunderous cut shot to a short ball that skims violently to the square boundary!
15th over: New Zealand 55-3 (Ravindra 23, Mitchell 4) Daryl ‘Moose’ Mitchell arrives in the middle and tries to counteract Atkinson by taking a few steps down the wicket. I don’t think we’ll see Jamie Smith up to the stumps any time soon, especially to Josh Tongue who is whanging them down at 90mph from t’other end.
Mitchell is off the mark with a late glide past point for four. Close! A short ball hits Mitchell on the elbow and is pouched at leg slip but England know there is no bat on it and keep their powder dry on the review front.
ShareWICKET! Henry Nicholls c Brook b Atkinson 16 (New Zealand 51-3)
Brook moves for this one and takes it safely! It is almost a mirror image of the Tongue chance in the last over but this time Brook goes for it and plucks the catch. Atkinson has the wicket of Nicholls rather than Tongue but England won’t mind, they needed that breakthrough!
Gus Atkinson does the business! Photograph: Mike Egerton/PAShare
Updated at 12.06 EDT
14th over: New Zealand 51-2 (Nicholls 16, Ravindra 23) DROP! Tongue finds the edge of Nicholls’ bat and Harry Brook doesn’t go for it at first slip! Brook seemed to think he had a second slip next to him but there was only a yawning gap and the ball flew away without an attempt being made to grab it. D’oh!
Oh Harry! Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.02 EDT
13th over: New Zealand 44-2 (Nicholls 11, Ravindra 23) Atkinson stitches together a maiden and Ben Stokes looks to be warming up…
12th over: New Zealand 44-2 (Nicholls 11, Ravindra 23) Tongue finds Ravindra’s edge with an 87mph brute but the stylish southpaw manages to get it wide of the cordon. New Zealand have recovered a bit since the Archer scintillation, they lead by 120 runs.
11th over: New Zealand 36-2 (Nicholls 9, Ravindra 17) Ravindra continues in sparkling touch, driving Atkinson down the ground and holding the pose. Yes please. Atkinson is not happy with the ball, the ringythingies are brought out and the umpires’s grant a change. Beaten! Atkinson nips one past the outside edge, still plenty in this surface with a new ball in hand.
10th over: New Zealand 32-2 (Nicholls 9, Ravindra 13) Tongue thunders in and is at a decent pace early in his spell, up at 86 plus mph in old money. He has Nicholls hopping on the crease after Ravindra clips elegantly for a single at the start of the over.
9th over: New Zealand 31-2 (Nicholls 9, Ravindra 12) Nicholls collects two with a compact drive into the off side. Archer might have one left in his spell, he has 2-12 from his five over opening burst.
8th over: New Zealand 29-2 (Nicholls 7, Ravindra 12) Tongue replaces Atkinson, the Notts bowler could be a real handful on this crumbling home ground surface. Shot! Ravindra comes forward and drives elegantly down the ground for four. What were you worried about?
Updated at 11.26 EDT
7th over: New Zealand 24-2 (Nicholls 6, Ravindra 8) Eeeeesht! What a ball from Jofra Archer! His bouncer is so lethal because there is no change in his action whatsoever, Henry Nicholls does amazingly well not to get an edge or his gloves on it as it whistles past his face, showing off a very impressive reverse limbo technique in order to evade it.
6th over: New Zealand 23-2 (Nicholls 5, Ravindra 8) Rachin Ravindra drives Atkinson through the covers and Trent Bridge lets out a purr of acknowledgement. He then clips neatly for two and glides Atkinson for a couple more into the off side. He looks in good nick, but then again when doesn’t he?
5th over: New Zealand 12-2 (Nicholls 2, Ravindra 0) It really was a beauty from Archer, lift and late movement, Conway forced into poking at it whilst he was backing away to square leg, the clonk on the lid no doubt still playing on his mind.
ShareWICKET! Devon Conway c Root b Archer 5 (New Zealand 12-2)
Snorter! Archer strikes again with a serious delivery that Conway can only fence to Joe Root at first slip! Archer wheels away in celebration and mobbed by his teammates and gets a misplaced high five-ing digit in his eye for good measure.
Jofra Archer celebrates after dismissing Devon Conway. Photograph: Philip Brown/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 11.16 EDT
There’s a circa six minute delay after Archer sends down an electric short ball that climbs and keeps climbing on Conway, the batter does well to keep his gloves out of the way but the ball does smash into the side of his grille. The physio comes out and after a good few minutes it seems he has passed the concussion tests and is given the all clear to continue.
Do you think they ask who the current UK prime minister is? Quite a tricky question actually.
4th over: New Zealand 8-1 (Conway 3, Nicholls 1) Atkinson strays onto Conway’s pads and is whipped away for a single. Nicholls leans on a full ball to get off the mark.
Full confession, I partook of a circa six minute shandy at the tea-break with a Guardian employee who has reserved the right to remain anonymous but is here as a punter at Trent Bridge. You can have a guess* but I’ll never tell, protect your sources (co-drinkers) at all times.
*No it wasn’t Monbiot. Absolute badger though I’m sure he is…
Updated at 11.32 EDT
3rd over: New Zealand 6-1 (Conway 2, Nicholls 0) Archer has his dander up, he spears in a decent yorker but Conway is equal to it, digging it out late. A single to cover brings Nicholls on strike, Archer lets him off the hook a little with two balls that slant away down the leg side.
Updated at 10.57 EDT
2nd over: New Zealand 5-1 (Conway 1, Nicholls 0) Atkinson is on the money with his first over too, I wonder if Ben Stokes has given a Thomas Tuchel style change of innings talk to get the blood pumping into his side? This elongated final session of day three really is crucial. There’s movement off the seam from Atkinson, Conway is watchful and then off the mark with a drop and run into the off side.
Just looking at the Archer/Latham wicket on the replay – Archer hares off giving it the full ‘Celebrappeal’ so certain was he that it was stone dead. Very apt from the Stuart Broad End here at Trent Bridge.
1st over: New Zealand 4-1 (Conway 0, Nicholls 0) The Trent Bridge crowd give Jofra Archer a huge ovation, they know that England need wickets with the new ball to get back into this game. Henry Nicholls joins Devon Conway, Gus Atkinson is going to share the new orb.