England v New Zealand 3rd Test Day 2: Stokes, Duckett and Bethell Fight Back at Trent Bridge

The Story of the Match

THE second day of the 3rd Rothesay Test Match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham belonged to England who took the remaining New Zealand six wickets for just 77 runs in temperatures of 35 degrees as Ben Stokes bagged 4 for 70 with the ball and Ben Duckett hit a fast 113 supported by Jacob Bethell with 74 not out. New Zealand was dismissed for 438. England replied with 223 for 2 from 45 overs at close of play on day 2 with Jacob Bethell 74 not out and Joe Root 21 not out. The deficit at the close of play was 215 runs.

The new ball was only 4.1 overs old when the night watchman Will O'Rourke and the new batter Daryl Mitchell started day 2 at Trent Bridge on a steamy hot morning with no breeze at all with New Zealand 361 for 4 from 84.1 overs. Jofra Archer completed his over and then Josh Tongue on his home ground as a Nottinghamshire player opened the bowling from the Radcliffe Road End of the ground.

New Zealand lost their 5th wicket and the first wicket of the morning when Daryl Mitchell was caught behind by Jamie Smith off the bowling of captain Ben Stokes for 11 runs from 33 balls with one boundary 4 when the New Zealand total had reached 392 for 5 after 94.3 overs. Will O'Rourke the night watchman really did his job as he hung around for over an hour, and a bit more scored, he 19 runs from 38 balls with four boundary 4's before he was caught by Emilio Gay off Ben Stokes his second wicket of the morning and third in the innings when the New Zealand total had reached 393 for 6 after 97 overs. Stokes bowling analysis was 3 for 63 at the time of the wicket.

Tom Blundell the New Zealand wicketkeeper who had only just come in at the fall of Mitchell's wicket was then joined by Mitchell Santner. The New Zealand 400 came up after 99.4 overs when Tom Blundell struck Gus Atkinson to the boundary. New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner was dismissed for 4 runs from 12 balls with one boundary 4 when he was caught by Jacob Bethell off Ben Stokes bowling when the total was 413 for 7 from 101 overs. Stokes at the time of the 7th wicket was 4 for 69 with the ball.

Tom Blundell 17 not out was then joined by Nathan Smith. At lunch on day 2, New Zealand had reached 418 for 7 from 108 overs with Tom Blundell 18 not out from 47 balls with three boundary 4's and Nathan Smith 4 not out from 14 balls. It was England's morning at Trent Bridge, with Ben Stokes bagging 3 wickets from 8 overs. New Zealand scored 57 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 23.5 overs in the opening session in sweltering hot 35 degree sunny weather. It was the second hottest day of Test Cricket played in England.

After lunch Nathan Smith was the next to fall as he was well caught and bowled by Shoaib Bashir for 6 runs from 28 balls when the total was 434 for 8 from 113.3 overs. Then three balls later and Tom Blundell was trapped lbw by Shoaib Bashir for 30 runs from 67 balls with four boundary 4's when the total was 435 for 9 from 114 overs. Shoaib Bashir at the time of the 9th wicket his bowling analysis was 25-2-105-2.

The last two New Zealand batters did not last long as New Zealand were dismissed for 438 all out after 114.5 overs at 2.22 pm. The final wicket being Ben Sears lbw to Jofra Archer for 0 runs from 1 ball. Blair Tickner remained 4 not out from 6 balls. The pick of the England bowlers was captain Ben Stokes with 4 for 70, Jofra Archer with 2 for 75 and Shoaib Bashir with 2 for 105.

New Zealand lost ten wickets for 121 so it was England's morning taking 6 wickets for 77 runs thanks in the main to captain magnifique Ben Stokes. Stokes took his 250th wicket in Test Cricket.

England opened the batting with Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett. England lost their first wicket at 8 for 1 after 1.5 overs when Emilio Gay was caught behind by Tom Blundell down the leg side off Will O'Rourke for 0 runs from just 5 balls. Ben Duckett was dropped early by Henry Nicholls at third slip off Nathan Smith, but he took advantage of the chance as he bludgeoned eight boundary 4's. Ben Duckett brought up the England 50 runs in 10.2 overs as he hit Blair Tickner for a ninth boundary 4. Ben Duckett achieved his 50 runs from 40 balls with ten boundary 4's.

At the tea interval on day 2 England had reached 73 for 1 from 14 overs with Ben Duckett 52 not out from 45 balls with ten boundary 4's and Jacob Bethell had scored 16 not out from 34 balls with three boundary 4's. New Zealand had only used Nathan Smith, Will O'Rourke and Blair Tickner by tea.

England reached their 100 runs from 17.5 overs and then Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell achieved the 2nd wicket 100 run partnership in 101 balls with Ben Duckett 60 not out and Jacob Bethell 34 not out with 6 extras. New Zealand captain Tom Latham introduced Mitchell Santner and Ben Sears after tea as the tourists were under pressure to try and take wickets as England like New Zealand yesterday for 70 overs ran up plenty of runs.

Blair Tickner was off the field with nausea and concussion after being hit by Jofra Archer earlier in the day, so New Zealand was down to four bowlers. Ben Duckett on 78 edged a drive between Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell, but he got away with a second offering to be caught. The New Zealand like for like concussion replacement was Zak Foulkes so he replaced Blair Tickner for the remainder of the match. Blair Tickner had only bowled 3-0-21-0 and ended 4 not out with the bat but was hit on the helmet by Jofra Archer during his 6 ball innings.

Jacob Bethell achieved his 50 runs from 60 balls with eight boundary 4's. Soon after that, Ben Duckett achieved his 100 runs from 88 balls with eighteen boundary 4's when he tapped Mitchell Santner to leg. It was his seventh Test century on the ground he loves the most and enjoys playing at the most, Trent Bridge. It was Ben Duckett of old as he looked classy and attractive with his performance with the bat.

Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell looked particularly good. Ben Duckett turned down IPL cricket in India to play some county cricket and get ready playing for England, and it had paid off with this accomplished knock. Ben Duckett, who was looking to go big, was bowled by Nathan Smith for 113 runs from 99 balls with nineteen boundary 4's when the total was 187 for 2 from 31.2 overs. Jacob Bethell was 62 not out when he was joined by Joe Root just before 17.30 pm.

England's master batter, Joe Root, with a mammoth 14,075 career Test runs and 956 runs scored at Trent Bridge with a highest score on the ground of 176 was the next batter to take on the New Zealand bowling attack. England brought the 200 run total up for 2 wickets from 36.3 overs. Jacob Bethell and Joe Root looked set to enjoy a big stand tomorrow on day 3 when the weather will be like days 1 and 2.

England were 223 for 2 from 45 overs at close of play on day 2 with Jacob Bethell on 74 not out from 127 balls with nine boundary 4's and Joe Root on 21 not out from 42 balls with three boundary 4's. The deficit at the close of play was 215 runs. Pick of the bowlers for New Zealand were Will O'Rourke 1 for 39 and Nathan Smith 1 for 51.

Author's Standout Players

• Ben Stokes (England) - Bagged 4 for 70 with the ball including the wickets of Tom Latham, night watchman Will O'Rourke, Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner, and took his 250th wicket in Test Cricket
• Tom Blundell (New Zealand) - A useful 30 from 67 balls with four boundary 4's as other batters were dismissed around him with England taking the remaining 6 wickets for 77 runs
• Shoaib Bashir (England) - Bowled tirelessly to take 2 for 105 in the sweltering heat
• Ben Duckett (England) - Offered a couple of caught chances, but the Nottinghamshire and England opener bludgeoned a lovely 88 ball century with eighteen boundary 4's before he was bowled by Nathan Smith for 113 runs from 99 balls with nineteen boundary 4's
• Jacob Bethell (England) - Made his highest Test 1st innings score beating his previous best of 16 against Australia, reaching his 50 from 60 balls with eight boundary 4's and ending the day on 74 not out from 127 balls with nine boundary 4's

Match Scores

New Zealand 1st innings 438 in 114.5 overs - Conway 157, Latham 151, Nicholls 36, Blundell 30; Stokes 4 for 70, Archer 2 for 75, Shoaib Bashir 2 for 105.

England 1st innings 223 for 2 from 45 overs - Duckett 113, Bethell 74 not out, Root 21 not out; O'Rourke 1 for 39, Smith 1 for 51.