It was a painful moment for Jofra Archer and an even bigger blow to England’s hopes of rescuing a series that had been billed as a fresh start for their Test side.
Archer’s mishap came during one of the few spells in which Ben Stokes’ team appeared to be seizing control on day three. Shortly after taking a second wicket with the new ball, the fast bowler was accidentally poked in the eye when Stokes’ attempted high five went awry.
New Zealand were effectively 96 for two after both openers, who had put on a triple-century stand earlier in the match, had been removed. By stumps, however, their lead had grown to 204 with seven wickets still in reserve, leaving England’s hopes of a repeat comeback fading quickly.
When these sides met in the same fixture four years ago, England marked the beginning of the Stokes-Brendon McCullum captain-coach era by cruising to a target of 299. This time, any chase beyond that figure would represent a formidable task.
England arrived at this match with Stokes and McCullum publicly reaffirming their partnership after a difficult fortnight off the field, during which Stokes missed the second Test amid an ECB conduct inquiry and New Zealand forced a series decider at Trent Bridge.
After piling up 661 runs across the first two days, England began the third day in a strong position. But they headed back out to field having lost their last eight wickets for 131, fully aware that a Nottingham surface full of changing moods was likely to become increasingly awkward for batting.
England needed early wickets to keep alive their chances of winning the third Test on a tricky Nottingham pitch, and Jofra Archer offered them a glimmer of hope
With England desperate for early breakthroughs, Archer’s removal of Devon Conway — coming soon after Tom Latham, another first-innings centurion, had fallen — briefly restored parity in a gripping contest that continued to swing one way and then the other.
The 31-year-old did not get above 83 miles per hour in his opening over, but the sixth ball jagged back to pin Latham leg before.
If there was little the left-hander could do about that, Archer’s third over, the fifth of the innings, proved virtually unplayable. A brute of a ball that changed direction wickedly, struck Conway on the back of the helmet, triggering a seven-minute delay while his well-being was checked and headgear changed.
But the respite proved short-lived as the final one took off, flying to Joe Root at second slip, persuading an England team that began this match by conceding a 317-run stand that another comeback was on.
Once Archer’s burst of 5-0-12-2 was over, though, things became slightly more comfortable on a surface misbehaving badly after after being sun-baked for 48 hours.
New Zealand closed it on 120 for three, an overall advantage of 204, and with things unlikely to get any easier during a fourth-innings chase, England must replicate the tourists’ morning
Dry and breaking up, even Archer’s deliveries of much reduced pace were injected by venom upon contact, but others could not replicate the same level of threat.
Josh Tongue was arguably England’s best bowler in the first Test win at Lord’s, but has struggled for such consistency since and frustratingly when he did get it right, Harry Brook at wide first slip failed to respond to a nick that flew between him and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
The escape of Henry Nicholls on 11 was not a costly one, as Brook grabbed an action-replay prod at Gus Atkinson in the next over, but despite some hairy moments for Daryl Mitchell during Shoaib Bashir’s impressive evening concoction of turn and bounce, there were no further breakthroughs.
Earlier in the day, a Nathan Smith surge overtook Henry to become the leading wicket taker in the series, starting by nipping one back viciously to Joe Root
With Rachin Ravindra’s classy counter-attack already worth 60, only replicating the discipline shown by a makeshift New Zealand attack on the third morning will do now for England.
Resuming on 223 for two overnight, England lost both set batsmen for their overnight scores amongst a clatter of three for 10 in the opening half hour.
It was a highly impressive effort from a New Zealand attack missing its most dynamic components in Matt Henry, the 11-wicket man of the match in the second Test at the Oval, and the gigantic Kyle Jamieson. Neither were considered to be fit enough to play here and to add to their problems, Blair Tickner, one of the the reinforcements, was ruled out the game early following a blow to the head.
In their absence, Nathan Smith surged past Henry to become the leading wicket taker in the series, starting by nipping one back viciously to Joe Root.
In the belief that the ball was going on to miss leg stump, Root reviewed, but for the third time this series succumbed to an umpire’s call. New Zealand have found reward in pushing the world’s No1 batsman back into his crease via the presence of wicketkeeper Tom Blundell up to the stumps.
Stokes appeared to have found fluency with 95 for Durham against Northamptonshire last weekend, but there was little he could do about an unplayable delivery by Foulkes
The lavish seam movement extracted early on was a sign of things to come and Jacob Bethell became the second wicket in the space of six deliveries when his hands were lured from his body by Will O’Rourke and the angle of the delivery took the ball into the grasp of Latham at second slip.
When Jamie Smith became the third wicket at half past 11, well pouched by Daryl Mitchell from a low nick off his namesake, it was left to Harry Brook, with a 66-ball half century, to reduce the deficit below three figures.
Stokes appeared to have found fluency with the bat for Durham against Northamptonshire last weekend, but along with Brook received an unplayable delivery from Zak Foulkes – the first Kiwi concussion sub.
Not for the first time this month, Atkinson was arguably out later than he should have been, but took no significant advantage of Ben Sears’ dropping of a dolly, becoming one of three wickets for four runs to end the innings. Only a similar clatter will do for England now.
