After bowling out New Zealand for 209 in the morning session, England opted to force the follow-on before a spirited effort by the Kiwis in the second innings saw them end day three at 202 for three, trailing by 24.
The home side’s fight back was largely due to the efforts of the opener Tom Latham and Devon Conway, who between them hit over fifty overs to add 149 for the wicket, in a partnership that pricked up its ears at a potentially miraculous comeback, before a post-tea mini-collapse spelled a return to reality for all involved . New Zealand will still have hope with the former captain Can Williamson and senior batter Henry Nichols on the crease, but they will have to be perfect from now on if they want to become only the fourth team in history to win a test after following.
On a hard-fought matchday, England coach Paul Collingwood said: “When you come up against quality opposition in Test cricket you expect them to fight hard and this was one of those days. They counterattacked this morning and when we forced the follow up I thought we bowled exceptionally well without much reward, without much luck. We expect to have days like this against good opponents, but it’s engaging and led to what could be a great test match.
By far the quietest day of the series, play resumed with New Zealand 138 for seven in their first innings, with skipper Tim Southee using up all the allocated excitement of the day in the opening hour as he worked his way to a remarkable 73 from 49 balls, at one point hitting Jack Leach for three sixes in five balls.
Southee’s 98-run partnership with wicketkeeper Tom Blundell took New Zealand to respectability if not parity, but when Southee’s fun came to an end when he was again caught swinging at the fences, Blundell and Matt Henry fell soon after when New Zealand got a 226 against. walk ahead.
Enforcing the follow-on has become less popular these days as teams look to control bowler workloads and with numbers suggesting that not enforcing the follow-on has worked better for teams. But this is Ben Stokes’ England. A team that likes to defy convention and believes that the most aggressive option is always the best. Moreover, they also enjoy a night out. And forcing the follow-up offered the chance of an extra night in Wellington, while staying true to their ultra-aggressive cricketing values. A win-win situation.
“It was very clear this morning when Stokesey spoke to the lads and said if we get the chance to continue we will enforce it,” Collingwood said of the decision. “He was very clear about that and that’s the Stokesey and Baz approach [Brendon McCullum]. They want the aggressive option and hopefully they win the game today. It didn’t work out that way, but we’re still in a good position.”
As New Zealand began their second innings, Latham and Conway batted belligerently, rarely opting for the attacking option. Both would complete a half-century, Latham’s first of the series and Conway’s second, with Latham putting in 5,000 Test runs.
One bowler notable for his absence was captain Stokes, who only came on for the first time in the game in the 49th over of the second innings, before bowling two chaotic overs with three no-balls, two of them for bouncers who sailed over the heads from Latham and Conway for which he received an official caution (Stokes had already bowled his assigned two bouncers for the over before getting no ball), a third for overrun and a ball.
The carnage worked, though, as after Latham and Conway batted without a loss throughout the afternoon session and England were just starting to get nervous about possibly the wrong call, three overs after Stokes’ introduction, Leach made the crucial breakthrough with the wicket. from Conway who was caught well on short leg by Ollie Pope.
It had taken England 52 overs to take their first wicket, but they would claim two more in the next nine as Latham would also leave, LBW to Joe Root, before Will Young got a good delivery from Leach that sent his off-stub .
Suddenly England were well back on top, hoping for a late night blowout that would make tomorrow a formality, but Williamson and Nicholls hit the last 22 overs of the day to give the hosts a spark, if not more , on the way to the day. four.
“It’s exciting,” Collingwood said. “New Zealand fought hard today, but we’ve noticed the mornings have done more for the bowling, so hopefully tomorrow we can come out with fresher legs and take some wickets.”