England vs New Zealand: Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes carry hosts' continued fightback in series-decider at Trent Bridge

Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes were at the heart of a stirring England fightback on day two of the series-deciding third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

The visitors, who were bossing proceedings at 317 without loss late into the first day’s play, lost their final 10 wickets for only 121 runs in being bowled out for 438, before Duckett (113 off 99) struck a magnificent 88-ball century to anchor England’s reply.

Stokes (4-70) earlier took his 250th wicket in Tests as part of a fiery morning spell to match the searing temperatures in Nottingham – 35 Celsius, making it the second-hottest day’s cricket in England.

Stokes took 3-13 across eight overs in of one of his trademark, tireless spells that reduced New Zealand to 418-7 by lunch, before Shoaib Bashir (2-105) helped wrap things up after the interval.

Duckett, who was dropped on eight, then blasted 19 boundaries as part of a majestic seventh Test ton, sharing in a 179-run stand for the second wicket with Jacob Bethell (74no), who will be eyeing a hundred of his own early on day three.

England closed on 223-2, still trailing the Black Caps by 215 runs, but their cause is aided by an inexperienced New Zealand bowling attack that have also lost Blair Tickner to a concussion following an earlier blow to the head when batting against Jofra Archer. He has been replaced by Zak Foulkes for the remainder of the match.

Stokes takes 250th Test wicket during inspired spell

After carrying some momentum into the morning from a four-wicket burst deep into the first evening, nightwatchman Will O’Rourke (19) was a brief source of frustration for England as he comfortably passed his previous Test best of five.

The first wicket to fall was, in fact, to be top-order batter Daryl Mitchell (11) as he feathered an edge behind off Stokes, with the slightest of scratches detected on review, much to his disbelief.

O’Rourke, who had been dropped on 19 by a combination of wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and Joe Root at slip, was finally felled without troubling the scorers further as his dogged resistance made way for a more tailender-suited top-edged hack across the line.

Stokes then took his 250th Test wicket, with Mitchell Santner (4) his victim, fending a short ball to gully, though it would prove a slightly contentious dismissal as the batter believed the ball deflected off his arm guard – DRS, crucially, didn’t and gave him out.

Bashir dropped Tom Blundell in the deep off Jofra Archer shortly after lunch, but swiftly made amends by claiming Nathan Smith (6) – a terrific, reflex grab off his own bowling – and Blundell (30) in the same over.

A still sulking Archer wasn’t initially in the mood to celebrate and earned a bit of a telling-off from Stokes, before he then ended the innings in the very next over – New Zealand losing their last six wickets for just 46 runs.

Duckett cashes in after being dropped on eight

England will have been thrilled at bowling the tourists out for 438, as conditions still seemed ideal for batting, but they got off to a bit of a spluttering start as Emilio Gay departed for a duck in O’Rourke’s second over, while Duckett was dropped on eight as Henry Nicholls made a mess of a fairly straightforward offering at third slip.

Duckett certainly made the most of the reprieve, looking in sublime touch thereafter as he charged through to a 40-ball fifty just prior to tea.

He and Bethell then raced through the gears in the early part of the evening session, with England flying along at over six-runs-an-over with boundaries struck in all but four of the first 24 overs of the innings.

In the first 13 overs after tea, Duckett and Bethell smashed 91 runs, with the latter bringing up his 60-ball half century a couple of overs prior to Duckett celebrating – and with some gusto – his first Test century in more than a year.

The only blot on England’s evening work was the eventual dismissal of Duckett, as he rather tamely chopped one onto his stumps off Smith, much to his annoyance.

He knew there were more runs to be had for him out there, and England will just be hoping others similarly cash in on Saturday, with Bethell and Root (22no) calmly sharing in an unbroken, 36-run partnership through to stumps.

England vs New Zealand – results and schedule

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