06/27/26 01:42:00
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06/27 13:41 CDT Ravindra's 60 pushes New Zealand 204 ahead of England at Trent
Bridge
Ravindra's 60 pushes New Zealand 204 ahead of England at Trent Bridge
NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) --- Rachin Ravindra's latest half-century lifted New
Zealand into a commanding 204-run lead against England after three days of the
series-deciding Trent Bridge test on Saturday.
New Zealand bowled out England by tea for 354 for another big first-innings
lead of 84 runs.
The Black Caps turned that into 204 after reaching stumps on 120-3 with seven
wickets and two days in hand on a pitch becoming increasingly dicey.
Ravindra was 60 not out with Daryl Mitchell beside him on 26.
Ravindra walked in in the fifth over of the second innings when New Zealand had
lost both openers with only 12 runs on the board. He counterattacked with Henry
Nicholls and continued with Mitchell for his second fifty in two tests
following 76 at The Oval last week.
The fast Jofra Archer removed New Zealand opening batters Tom Latham in the
first over and Devon Conway in the fifth. The pair combined for a staggering
317-run opening stand on Thursday but made only 4 this time.
Archer finished his opening five-over salvo with 2-12. He returned before the
close and asked wicketkeeper Jamie Smith to stand up to the stumps like Tom
Blundell has been doing effectively for New Zealand. But with Smith the Kiwis
were unfazed.
England began the day on 223-2 on the back of Ben Duckett's 113 on Friday, and
was shaken by losing set batters Joe Root and Jacob Bethell in the first six
overs, three wickets in the first hour, and four wickets in the session.
Root on 21 was trapped by a Nathan Smith in-swinger, Bethell departed for 74
when he edged Will O'Rourke to second slip, and Jamie Smith was snapped up low
down at first slip by Mitchell off namesake Smith on 1.
Nathan Smith suffered Stokes being dropped on 1 but the captain's wicket went
to Zac Foulkes, the Friday concussion substitute for Blair Tickner. Another
sharp in-swinger did in for Stokes on 15.
New Zealand finally reached the tail which Harry Brook shepherded across the
lunch interval with his third fifty in all three tests in the series.
But Brook was out soon after on 58, his off stump clipped by Foulkes at 322-7.
The tail added only 32 more runs as Nathan Smith collected 4-91 and O'Rourke
and Foulkes took three wickets each.
England lost its last eight wickets for 130 runs and conceded an 84-run lead
similar to the 100-run lead the Kiwis earned at The Oval. They beat England by
253 runs to level the series.
The signs on Saturday were not good for another England fourth-innings chase as
the deteriorating pitch gave the seamers snorters off a good length along with
lingering movement.
Archer made sure Latham and Conway wouldn't have a second major impact at Trent
Bridge.
Gus Atkinson got the ball replaced in the 11th over and Henry Nicholls to nick
off on 16. Atkinson greeted Mitchell with blows to his shoulder and ribs.
Mitchell also took a hit on the fingers from Archer.
Ravindra whipped Stokes through midwicket for his fifty off 81 balls and
extended the control the seamers grabbed back off England in the morning.
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