Half-centuries from Devon Conway and Will Young have set New Zealand well-placed in the contest as they finished Day on 229/3. They still trail by 73 runs.
Earlier in the day, Mark Wood (41*) chipped in with valuable runs to propel England to 303. Wood entertained the crowds with some exquisite strokes as Dan Lawrence (81*) held the fort from one end. For the visitors, Trent Boult picked up 4-85 and Matt Henry 3-78.
The morning brought a sense of disorientation and joy in equal measures. It was not Lawrence but Wood who played shots with such ease and elegance, which may provoke casual viewers to ponder why he is wasted so low down the order. He played strokes like a top-order batter who made Boult and Matt Henry look ordinary.
Admittedly, Boult was erratic in his morning spell, guilty of pitching up too close to Wood’s arc in search of movement. Wood responded with stylish drives. When Henry decided to pull his length back, Wood pulled him with authority, showing that he is no one-trick pony. He has range.
The fun and frolic came to an end when he chopped one on to his stumps while attempting a drive off Henry. England were bowled out 14 runs later, for 303. Lawrence walked back unbeaten on 81.
Stuart Broad finally had a wicket in his opening spell. He hit Tom Latham on pads in his third over to provide an early breakthrough. Broad might have had Devon Conway a few minutes later when an outside edge went to third slip. Zak Crawley dove to his right to reach the ball, but while he was sure of a catch, the soft signal was a not out. Michael Gough, the third umpire, overturned the decision due to lack of evidence.
Conway’s innings, however, was pristine from that point. Along with Will Young, who replaced Kane Williamson, the duo kept ticking along.
By tea they had already added 111 for the second wicket. But Conway, unbeaten on 78 at that point, could only add two more to his tally before his flick off Broad found Crawley at square leg.
Young completed his maiden Test fifty. He added 92 for the third wicket with Ross Taylor. Broad was probing in his line and length, as was James Anderson to some extent, but Olly Stone and Wood leaked runs.
Stone was unlucky when Joe Root dropped Young at first slip. Young, 7 at that point, went on to add 75 before becoming Lawrence’s first Test wicket. It happened out of nowhere. The innocuous delivery should have easily pushed away, but Young managed to get an inside edge.
Brief scores:
England 303 (Dan Lawrence 81*; Trent Boult 4-81) lead New Zealand 229/3 (Will Young 82; Stuart Broad 2-22) by 74 runs.