This page is no longer live, but check back soon for more Live Blogs!
Welcome back to our live blog covering day 3 of the first Crowe-Thorpe test! We resume the day’s play with England on 319 for 5 as a reply to New Zealand’s 348 all out.
Harry Brook reached his 7th test century yesterday courtesy of some really entertaining batting. He was supported by Ollie Pope who was caught out because of a Phillips blinder. England have done well to get to this point as they were reeling at 41 for 4. Joe Root’s duck was also a major talking point from yesterday.
New Zealand will have to somehow dust off the bruises and look to improve their bowling and fielding performances today.
So strap in for an intriguing morning session set to take off at the Hagley Oval!
Another day that England have bossed. Harry Brook and Ben Stokes resumed batting in the morning and added heft to their overnight scores. Once they were dismissed, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse unleashed some fireworks to guide England to 499, securing a 151-run lead.
New Zealand needed their batters to step up to the plate but it hasn’t been the case. Tom Latham was dismissed early and as England showed great discipline, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra failed to convert their starts.
While Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell promised to provide some sought-after stability, with Williamson even kicking on to get his second fifty of the game, Woakes’ twofold strike jolted New Zealand. Phillips was the last man dismissed with 15 minutes left for Stumps and New Zealand are reeling at 155/6. They have 4 wickets in hand and just a 4-run lead meaning chances of victory or even a draw are slim.
Another dominating day for England as New Zealand take a slim lead.#WTC25 | #NZvENG 📝: https://t.co/goBGtmwLK3 pic.twitter.com/34hBJ2f6LX
— ICC (@ICC) November 30, 2024
Glenn Phillips has been pinned in front as Brydon Carse roars in celebration! Phillips walks down for a chat with Daryl Mitchell after asking for a review. Wide of the crease, hard length, darting back off the seam to cannon into the flap of the back pad. Two umpires calls go against New Zealand in the past hour as Phillips throws his head back before trudging off.
Into the extra half-hour now. If England can terminate the partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips before stumps then they’ll fancy their chances of a quick kill in the morning.
Batting on 61, Williamson plays around an inducker. The finger goes up. He has a sheepish look on his face and contemplates going upstairs before finally opting to review. To no avail though! Impact is umpire’s call and the ball is projected to be hitting middle.
Was a length delivery outside off, cut back in sharply off the deck and Williamson had shuffled across to off-stump looking to defend, the movement was enough to whoosh past the inside edge and it went on to smash into his back leg just above the knee-roll. Woakes knew he had his man.
The joy doubled for the Warwickshire seamer as Tom Blundell perishes first ball. Pearl of a delivery and Woakes is on a hat-trick now! Length delivery on off-stump, angled in and straightened off the pitch. Wobble seam does the trick, the polar opposite of the previous one that nabbed Williamson in front and it was an absolute jaffa to face first up.
Blundell looked to fend from his crease, his feet rooted and it took a faint outside edge through to Ollie Pope. Blundell seemed surprised he was given out and went up straightaway but UltraEdge catches a murmur. Blundell walks back with his chin dug into his chest. New Zealand are in a spot of bother now at 133/5 after 36 overs.
Drinks are on the field now. New Zealand lost Rachin Ravindra early in the session, but Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell have since then been positive and have brought down the deficit to a mere 20 runs.
A signature Daryl Mitchell drive on day three. Follow play LIVE in NZ with TVNZ DUKE, TVNZ+, Sport Nation & the ACC. LIVE scoring | https://t.co/Dq07gqej2b #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/qbjtPzuYeU
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 30, 2024
Whilst New Zealand still trail by 56 runs, they are still (just about) in this game. Although England love a chase, a lead of 200 will give Tom Latham and his side plenty to work with, on a wicket that is slightly two-paced.
For now, Williamson and Mitchell are battling hard – two players with a fantastic track record against this England side. If they can steer their side towards stumps, New Zealand will very much be brought back into the fold, heading into Day 4.
Currently, they are 95/3.
Mitchell finds his first boundary! Flicked off the pads, tad over pitched by Woakes. No fine leg so the ball rolls into the fence swiftly.
78 for 3. New Zealand trail by 73.
Of course it’s him. Williamson has picked up where he left off in the first innings and looks good if not better in this innings. He has got an inventive bone now and has tried taking the short ball on with a hook shot.
New Zealand are 73 for 3 and trail by 78 runs.
Ravindra falls for the short ball plan and hands his wicket again to England. Carse wins the battle here and New Zealand will pray for a miracle again.
New Zealand are 64 for 3 now. They trail by 87 runs.
An even session this time round, as England pick up two vital wickets. Luckily for New Zealand, their best two batsmen are out there battling. They have settled into a nice rhythm and are now at 62 for 2. The hosts will hope these two will bat forever.
The crowd rises to acknowledge their hero and greatest player Kane Williamson as he scales another peak. 9000 test runs for this world class batsman and we still get to watch him bat a little bit more!
Both the veteran Williamson and rising star Ravindra, have looked at ease out in the middle. The ball seems to be softening up a bit out there, as England have turned to spin.
On a different note, Kane Williamson has just brought up 9,000 career Test Match runs. One of the best to ever do it.
NZ are 62/2, trailing by 89 runs.
Shoaib Bashir gets handed the ball now. A good move by Stokes as this was the match up that got Ravindra in the first innings. There will be only one over of spin as it will tea soon.
Carse once again beats the bat of Ravindra. He’s looking lethal today, finding a level of pace and bounce that no other England bowler has been able to muster thus far.
Blackcaps are 42/2, tailing by 109 runs, with 8 wickets in hand.
Ravindra and Williamson will be the hosts batting pair to pin their hopes on. While they are out there, a flame of hope will remain lit in the darkened New Zealand pavilion.
A good omen for the batsmen has appeared with the Sun peeping out a bit. Batting under these conditions will be considerably easier now.
New Zealand are 41 for 2 and they trail by a 110 runs.
A blinder from Gus Atkinson at catching mid on! Carse delivers a shortish delivery and Conway tries to pull it. He does not connect well and it loops in front of Atkinson who dives athletically to complete the catch.
Conway’s disappointing outing finishes at 8 off 26.
New Zealand now at 23 for 2. In comes the talismanic figure of Rachin Ravindra.
Great batting again from Williamson, scores a boundary similar to his first one. Batting should become easier now, now that the pitch has died down a bit and has turned a bit brown. Williamson rests on 12 off 21.
21/1 New Zealand and they trail by a 130 runs.
The Sun is back out here at the Hagley Oval as Conway and Williamson look to steer the Kiwis away from disaster. Atkinson’s plan to catch Conway out on the drive is still very much prominent.
New Zealand are 15/1.
An uppish drive on a good length ball by Williamson. Rolls harmlessly into the long off fence.
Conway punches an overpitched delivery to the long off boundary. That will ease some nerves within the New Zealand camp. Confident stroke play there from the leftie.
Latham is out! Early one for England. Just what they needed. The ball straightened after pitching and Latham did not defend all that convincingly. Harry Brook takes the catch.
England look to have a clear plan bowling to Devon Conway today. 2 men in close at cover, alongside 3 slips and a couple of gullys. Stokes and his men are looking to tempt him into a drive here – no room to bowl short.
New Zealand are 3/0.
Tom Latham gets off the mark on the third ball of the innings.
Chris Woakes will take the new nut, with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He’s going to have to play fantastically well to retain his spot in the side at Wellington.
Chilly here at the Hagley Oval, as the Southerly winds are starting to come into play.
A daunting task ahead for the Kiwis now. A lead of 151 runs would have been a bit more than what they would have wished for. They have done well in this session to wrap up this England side and as a result the spirits will be fairly high.
England will retain their confidence as they head in with the upperhand in this tie. They will look to skittle the hosts for cheap. Extra bounce on offer at Hagley Oval will invite some hostile bowling from Carse and Atkinson.
