Root, Stokes put England on the brink of a win

Match Centre

**Scores:**1st innings: NZ – 132, ENG – 141. 2nd innings: NZ – 285, ENG – 216/5 | England need 61 runs to win

Rain plays cameo

It wouldn't be England if the rain gods didn't stop by. The start of play on day three was delayed due to a passing shower but once the action got going, there was no time to breathe.

In the very first over of the day, Daryl Mitchell, coming in to bat at an overnight score of 97*, reached the milestone figure. The ton, the second of his Test career, couldn't have come at a better time with Mitchell coming in to bat when New Zealand were reeling at 35/3.

New Zealand's joy, though, was short-lived as an over of madness loosened their stranglehold on the game.

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New Zealand crumble after one over of madness

England took the new ball as soon as it was made available. four overs into it, Stuart Broad, as he has done so often, started making the red cherry talk.

Mitchell edged one to Foakes as the partnership for the fifth wicket ended five runs short of 200. The pacer then struck Colin de Grandhomme on the pads the very next ball and took off in celebration while appealing. Meanwhile, Ollie Pope at slips hit the stumps as de Grandhomme was caught napping outside his crease. Two in two balls!

Broad made it a team hattrick with a peach of a delivery to Kyle Jamieson, making it two golden ducks in a row.

Tom Blundell's innings ended in heartbreak, four runs short of a century. Tim Southee entertained as usual with the bat with four boundaries in his 26-ball 21 but New Zealand's innings never managed to recover from the three-wicket over of Broad. The Black Caps, who at one stage were 251/4, were all out for 285.

Parkinson wrapped up the innings with his maiden Test wicket and ended the wicketless streak of spinners in the match.

Jamieson runs riot

Chasing 277, England started positively with the bat. The session was all but theirs for the taking before a brain-fade moment from Alex Lees saw him shouldering arm to a Jamieson nip-backer just before lunch.

The tall pacer struck again after lunch, inducing an edge off Zak Crawley's bat for 9. Trent Boult soon got in on the act and produced a peach to dismiss Ollie Pope for 10.

Jonny Bairstow turned on his T20 mode to smash Boult for three boundaries in his next over. Jamieson though ensured that there was no more damage done as he scalped the dangerous Bairstow in the very next over.

England, who were 31/0 at one point, were soon 69/4.

Stokes, Root to the rescue

England found themselves in a spot they have been way too familiar with in the past year and half. However, this time, they had their skipper and the former captain put on a rearguard to ensure there was no further collapse.

The England captain had his lucky stars to thank for – he chopped onto his own stumps when he was batting on 1 but replays showed Colin de Grandhomme had overstepped. De Grandhomme was living a nightmare – first, he was run out for a first-ball duck and then was within inches of getting Stokes out!

The two took England safely to tea at 99/4.

After the break, the two batters were a lot more positive. Stokes took a liking to the left-arm spin of Ajaz Patel and smashed him for two sixes. He got to his fifty in style with a four but was done by a short ball by Jamieson in the very same over.

There was some good banter while Stokes was at the crease though. Where have we seen that before?

Root put his foot on the accelerator after Stokes' departure and got to his milestone soon. Together with Ben Foakes, he took England safely to stumps, just 61 runs away from a win.

**Stat attack:**If England manages to chase the total down, it will be their second-highest successful chase at Lord's. Incidentally, their highest chase too came against New Zealand in 2004.