Root and Stokes keep England’s first Test with New Zealand in the balance

England
were
set
a
target
of
277
for
victory
on
Saturday
and
reached
216
for
five,
helped
by
Root
(77
not
out)
and
Stokes
(54),
to
leave
them
needing
61
runs
on
Sunday.

Stuart
Broad
helped
spark
England’s
fightback
in
the
opening
session,
which
was
delayed
by
30
minutes
by
rain,
with
the
hosts
taking
three
wickets
in
three
balls.

1

51776

Daryl
Mitchell
(108)
was
dismissed
by
Broad,
shortly
after
reaching
his
second
Test
century,
before
Colin
de
Grandhomme
and
Kyle
Jamieson
both
went
for
golden
ducks.

Tim
Southee
looked
to
keep
the
runs
ticking
over
for
New
Zealand,
but
Tom
Blundell
was
pinned
lbw
by
James
Anderson
just
four
runs
short
of
a
century.

‘The
best
way
it
could’ve
happened’
–
England
debutant
Potts
revels
in
four-wicket
haul

England
maintained
that
momentum
thanks
to
debutants
Matt
Potts
and
Matt
Parkinson,
who
trapped
Ajaz
Patel
(four)
and
caught
Southee
(21)
at
slip
respectively.

That
left
England
chasing
a
target
of
277,
but
they
were
99-4
at
tea
after
losing
Alex
Lees
(20),
Zak
Crawley
(nine),
Ollie
Pope
(10)
and
Jonny
Bairstow
(16)
cheaply.

Jamieson
was
responsible
for
the
quick
wickets
of
Lees
and
Crawley,
with
the
openers
only
able
to
put
up
a
31-run
stand
as
the
contest
again
swung
back
in
the
Kiwis’ favour.

Pope,
promoted
to
number
three,
was
unable
to
make
any
significant
inroads
before
being
bowled
by
a
Trent
Boult
beauty,
with
Bairstow
next
to
fall
to
Jamieson.

That
put
the
onus
firmly
on
Root
and
Stokes,
who
did
a
good
job
of
keeping
New
Zealand’s
bowlers
at
bay.

The
resolve
of
Stokes,
who
was
saved
by
a
no-ball
after
chopping
on
to
his
own
stumps
from
De
Grandhomme
on
one
run,
eventually
ended
when
snaffled
by
Blundell.

Root
made
it
to
77
alongside
Ben
Foakes
(nine)
come
the
end
of
play,
though,
meaning
England
are
still
in
with
a
big
shot
of
victory
heading
into
day
four.

Kiwis
collapse
at
Lord’s

Blundell
and
Mitchell
put
on
a
195-run
partnership
for
New
Zealand’s
fifth
wicket.
Either
side
of
that,
the
tourists
scored
just
191
for
16.

The
Kiwis
lost
their
last
six
wickets
for
just
35
runs,
in
fact,
opening
the
door
for
England
to
pounce.

Root
on
verge
of
milestone

Not
for
the
first
time,
England’s
hopes
of
claiming
victory
on
Sunday
will
likely
come
down
to
Root,
who
added
43
runs
from
42
balls
after
the
dismissal
of
Stokes.

He
is
now
just
23
runs
short
of
becoming
the
second
England
player
after
Alastair
Cook
to
reach
10,000
and
the
14th
player
overall
in
men’s
Tests.