England finished Day 3 of the second Test match against New Zealand, at Trent Bridge, on 473/5. They still trail New Zealand by 80 runs in the first innings. At the crease are Joe Root (163*) and Ben Foakes (24*), and barring a collapse, they seem set to take a lead before lunch on Day 4.
New Zealand received a setback when Kyle Jamieson complained of a lower back pain while bowling his 17th over and left the ground. He is yet to return. Matt Henry, drafted in for Ajaz Patel, was wayward, though he took the first wicket to fall in the day. Alex Lees, who resumed the day on 34, made a career-best 67 before edging to first slip, having added 141 with Ollie Pope for the second wicket.
Pope played some delightful shots to reach his second Test hundred. As he and Root matched each other stroke for stroke, England added 136 without losing a wicket in 28 overs between lunch and tea. Root, too, brought up his 27th hundred: at 116 balls, this was the fastest of his career. Pope eventually fell when he top edged a pull off Trent Boult (3-89) and was caught well by Henry at deep square leg. Boult soon had Jonny Bairstow caught behind, leaving England at 344/4.
But Ben Stokes emerged with a clear intention of taking the attack to New Zealand. He clobbered 46 in 33 balls (six fours, two sixes) before edging a slog sweep to give debutant Michael Bracewell his maiden Test wicket. Root and Foakes batted out the rest of the day.
Brief scores
New Zealand 553 (Daryl Mitchell 190, Tom Blundell 106; James Anderson 3-62) lead England 473/5 (Joe Root 163*, Ollie Pope 145; Trent Boult 3-89) by 80 runs.