England post 151-run first-innings lead after brutal hitting on third day
England’s dominance shone on the third day of the first Test at Hagley Oval, as their seamers built on the momentum generated by their blistering batting performance to leave New Zealand reeling. By tea, New Zealand found themselves precariously placed at 62 for 2, trailing England’s first-innings total of 499 by 89 runs. Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse struck early blows in New Zealand’s second innings, dismissing Tom Latham and Devon Conway. Woakes, who had gone wicketless in New Zealand’s first innings of 348, redeemed himself by removing Latham with a well-directed wobble-seam delivery, edged to Harry Brook at second slip for 1. Carse followed suit in his opening over, luring Conway into a mistimed pull that was superbly taken by Gus Atkinson at mid-on. Kane Williamson, however, demonstrated his class, notching his 9,000th Test run as he steadied the ship alongside Rachin Ravindra in an unbroken 39-run stand before the break.
This commanding position was built on a stunning turnaround in England’s own innings. Resuming the day at 319 for 5, they showed no signs of the fragility that saw them at 71 for 4 earlier. Harry Brook was the star, converting his overnight 132 into a majestic 171. In doing so, he joined legends Wally Hammond and Joe Root as the only England batters to register two scores of 150 or more in New Zealand. Brook’s innings was a blend of aggression and resilience, highlighted by a monstrous six off Tim Southee that landed on the pavilion roof. Ben Stokes, who contributed a fluent 80—his best Test score since the 2023 Ashes—provided the perfect foil. Although Brook ultimately fell to Matt Henry, his phenomenal overseas Test average of 89.40 underscored his growing stature in world cricket.
England’s tail wagged impressively, with Atkinson and Carse swinging freely to bolster the lead. Atkinson hammered a couple of sixes, showcasing his aggressive intent, though he eventually fell to a short ball from Henry. Stokes also fell short of a century, holing out after a typically belligerent knock. Carse, meanwhile, played an eye-catching cameo of 33 not out, including a stunning lap-sweep for six. However, New Zealand’s fielding woes told a significant story, with Glenn Phillips dropping three catches in an innings marked by eight missed opportunities in total.
England’s first-innings effort of 499 gave them a commanding 151-run lead, built on their relentless aggression with the bat and capped by fine contributions from their seamers in the afternoon session. With Williamson and Ravindra fighting hard to narrow the deficit, the final session promises to be a gripping battle as England look to tighten their grip on the Test.
