England’s bowlers never allowed New Zealand to score freely despite the visitors beginning the day in a strong position. Jofra Archer struck early by removing Tom Blundell and later claimed his fourth wicket when Nathan Smith edged a short ball through to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. Ben Stokes delivered another remarkable spell, bowling 11 consecutive overs despite the physical demands.
He eventually dismissed Zakary Foulkes after ending a stubborn partnership, with the wicket coming shortly after news broke that this would be his final international match. Jamie Smith also played a key role behind the stumps by convincing Stokes to review successfully against Mitchell Santner. Earlier in the day, Shoaib Bashir denied Rachin Ravindra a deserved century by trapping him lbw for 94. England’s disciplined effort restricted New Zealand’s scoring rate, but Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten century ensured the visitors still declared with a commanding advantage.
