England v New Zealand 2nd Test Day 3: Henry Nicholls Century Gives New Zealand Commanding Lead at the Oval

The Story of the Match

NEW ZEALAND ended the third day of the 2nd Rothesay Test Match at the KIA Oval in a very commanding position with two days of the match remaining to be played, on 252 for 3 from 56 overs with Henry Nicholls 119 not out from 164 balls with sixteen boundary fours and Daryl Mitchell on 32 not out from 43 balls with one boundary six and three boundary fours. The lead was 352 runs with 7 wickets in hand. The only positive for England was Matt Fisher with 50 not out from 77 balls with six boundary fours in the morning session.

England started the third day of the 2nd Rothesay Test Match at the KIA Oval on 222 for 6 from 59 overs trailing New Zealand by 169 runs on 1st innings with 4 wickets remaining.

The overnight batters Jordan Cox (22 not out from 42 balls) and Jofra Archer (0 not out from 11 balls) added 13 runs to the total when Jordan Cox was the 7th batter out when the total had reached 235 for 7 after 62.1 overs. Cox was caught by Tom Latham off the bowling of Matt Henry for 27 runs from 55 balls with three boundary fours.

Jofra Archer was out one run later when the total had moved to 236 for 8 from 64.4 overs when the England quick bowler was caught behind by Tom Blundell off the bowling of Matt Henry for 8 runs from 23 balls with two boundary fours.

Matt Fisher and Josh Tongue's partnership lasted 14 balls before Tongue was caught by Nathan Smith off the bowling of Matt Henry for 1 run from 12 balls when the total was 238 for 9 from 67 overs.

It was New Zealand's morning, and particularly Matt Henry, who had bagged 3 wickets as he finished with 5 for 80. England's last two batters Matt Fisher and Sonny Baker took the total from 238 to 291 after 84 overs when Baker was caught by Tom Latham off the bowling of Kyle Jamieson for 4 runs from 36 balls with one boundary four. The pair added 53 for the 10th wicket which nearly beat the 10th wicket partnership record for England v New Zealand at Trent Bridge in 1973 between Alan Knott and Norman Gifford of 59 runs.

Fisher achieved his 50 from 76 balls with six boundary fours and he was 50 not out when the last wicket fell, from 77 balls with six boundary fours, on his home ground. The pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, who led on 1st innings by 100 runs just before lunch on Day 3, were Matt Henry with 5 for 80, Will O'Rourke 2 for 68, Nathan Smith 1 for 57 and Kyle Jamieson 1 for 78.

New Zealand began their 2nd innings after lunch on day 3 with captain Tom Latham and Devon Conway opening the batting in hot sunshine, 32 degrees in South London. The pair added 8 for the 1st wicket before Tom Latham was caught behind the wicket by James Rew off the speedy Jofra Archer for 4 runs from 5 balls. Devon Conway was then joined by Henry Nicholls, and the pair moved the score on to 28 when the 2nd wicket fell when opener Devon Conway was caught by Harry Brook off the bowling of Josh Tongue for 11 runs from 26 balls with one boundary four.

Henry Nicholls continued steadily and he was joined by Rachin Ravindra, who was due to score some runs after not hitting the mark in the 1st innings or at Lord's in both innings in the 1st Test Match.

New Zealand scored 94 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in 25 overs in the lunch to tea session with Henry Nicholls 39 not out from 64 balls with four boundary fours and Rachin Ravindra 35 not out from 56 balls with seven boundary fours, the wicket takers being Jofra Archer 1 for 23 and Josh Tongue 1 for 17. At tea New Zealand were in a commanding position as they led by 194 runs with 8 wickets in hand.

After tea, Henry Nicholls achieved his 50 runs off 72 balls with six boundary fours. Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra added 100 runs for the 3rd wicket partnership in enjoyable time from 127 balls with Nicholls 53, Ravindra 43 and extras 4.

Rachin Ravindra played stylishly and some lovely shots once he settled and got in on a good track. He achieved his 50 with a square cut off Josh Tongue's bowling from 79 balls with eleven boundary fours when the total reached 142 for 2 after 32.4 overs. At that time New Zealand led by 242 runs.

Joe Root's captaincy lacked ideas as the batsmen moved the score on steadily. The acting captain Joe Root even brought himself on to bowl, and Jacob Bethell too, as the bowlers toiled while Nicholls and Ravindra continued to move the score and the lead on at a good pace.

Rachin Ravindra, on 67, gave a chance to Emilio Gay at short leg off the bowling of Jacob Bethell, whose attempt to catch the looping ball off a bat pad was poor. Ravindra was out for 76 runs from 99 balls with fifteen boundary fours when he was trapped lbw by Jacob Bethell when the New Zealand total was 189 for 3 from 41.4 overs.

Henry Nicholls, who came into the side to replace the retired Kane Williamson, took his opportunity with the bat in this Test, scoring 24 in the 1st innings of the match and a hundred in the 2nd innings. Nicholls achieved his 100 from 136 balls with fourteen boundary fours when the New Zealand total reached 206 for 3 as the lead rose to 306 with 7 wickets remaining. It was Nicholls' eleventh Test hundred.

Joe Root the acting captain will have his captain Ben Stokes available for the 3rd Test at Trent Bridge next Thursday, and Root will be hoping his friend and the England skipper Stokes will be allowed to return as captain rather than Root acting. Brendon McCullum knows England nearly chased down 370 last year against India at the KIA Oval, so a result in England's favour is an outside chance.

New Zealand ended the day in control and in an extremely healthy position to gain a result in the 2nd Test, on 252 for 3 from 56 overs with Henry Nicholls 119 not out from 164 balls with sixteen boundary fours and Daryl Mitchell on 32 not out from 43 balls with one boundary six and three boundary fours. The lead was 352 runs with 7 wickets in hand. England bowlers who took wickets were Jacob Bethell 1 for 34, Jofra Archer 1 for 39 and Josh Tongue 1 for 49. Joe Root used seven bowlers and with no specialist spinner in the side Root, Bethell and Brook bowled 16 overs between them. Jofra Archer, England's quick, only bowled 8 overs all day. New Zealand bossed the third day except for a brief Matt Fisher 50 not out for England.

Author's Standout Players

• Henry Nicholls (New Zealand) - Took his chance to replace the retired Kane Williamson in style, compiling an unbeaten 119 from 164 balls with sixteen boundary fours for his eleventh Test hundred and steering New Zealand into a commanding position
• Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand) - Found form at last with a stylish 76 from 99 balls with fifteen boundary fours, sharing a third-wicket partnership of 161 with Nicholls that took the game away from England
• Matt Henry (New Zealand) - Ran through England's lower order in the morning to finish with 5 for 80, claiming the wickets of Root, Brook, Cox, Archer and Tongue
• Matt Fisher (England) - The lone bright spot for the hosts, an unbeaten 50 from 77 balls with six boundary fours on his home ground, including a 53-run last-wicket stand with Sonny Baker