Summary

Have your say on England men this summer

Live Reporting

by Timothy Abraham & Mike Peter

  1. NZ 189-3

    Jacob Bethell finishes with a couple of dots. Vital breakthrough for England.

    Daryl Mitchell is the new batter for New Zealand.

  2. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    Jacob Bethell is turning into quite a partnership breaker.

  3. wicket

    WICKET

    Ravindra lbw b Bethell 76 (NZ 189-3)

    Rachin Ravindra thought, perhaps, he had got his pad outside the line. Or it was perhaps it was sliding down leg side.

    But, no. Three reds on the ball-tracking technology.

    Ravindra is on his way back to the pavilion.

    Bethell has a canny knack of getting wickets for England.

  4. New Zealand review

    Rachin Ravindra sweeps Jacob Bethell but misses and is hit on the pad.

    England appeal...and it's given.

    Ravindra has reviewed it, though.

  5. NZ 186-2

    Lead by 286

    Short stuff from Sonny Baker after drinks.

    Henry Nicholls backs away and upper cuts Baker for four between point and cover.

    England running out of ideas.

    Shall we start ticking off the records Joe Root and co will need to beat with their fourth-innings chase?

  6. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    New Zealand have earned their right to be in this position and exploit it.

    It's been a strange pitch in a way because we've seen one or two keep low and one or two bounce.

  7. Thanks, Mike.

    Ho hum. New Zealand's lead is now 280.

    WinViz gives England 15% chance of victory, New Zealand 80% and the draw 5%CricViz

  8. NZ 180-2

    Lead by 280

    Mike Peter
    BBC Sport journalist

    Jacob Bethell took 3-26 in New Zealand's first innings, and he might have a chance of more wickets with evidence of turn and bounce in this over.

    Meanwhile a Rachin Ravindra single behind square brings up the 150 partnership from 189 balls.

    We go into drinks - here's Timothy Abraham to take you through to the close.

  9. NZ 175-2

    Lead by 275

    Rachin Ravindra has scored 60 of his 72 runs in fours.

    He picks up his 15th as Sonny Baker returns, slamming a low half-tracker past backward square.

  10. Get Involved

    Click ‘Get Involved’ to have your say

    James RewGetty Images

    I love James Rew as a player and Jamie Smith, but I still don't understand why we don't play our best wicketkeeper. catches win matches, and the keeper is the gold standard. Best keeper should play!

    Phil, Devon

    Absurd to want to blame the wicketkeeper for some atrocious bowling, captaincy and (ultimately) selection. Aside from one drop yesterday I can't really fault James Rew. Unless we're going to pick someone like Ben Foakes, we're accepting imperfect keeping as standard.

    James, St Albans

    James Rew clearly not good enough at this level. Continually wafted at the short ball with a suspect technique, eventually gifting his wicket away. Two tough chances but a Test match keeper should be expected to take both.

    Ben, Beckenham

  11. Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    It's another one of these chances. It was in the air for such a long period of time.

  12. NZ 169-2

    Jacob Bethell takes the ball for the first time in this innings and... is that a chance?

    His last delivery is edged by Rachin Ravindra, ballooning off the pad.

    Emilio Gay sprawls to try and take the catch one-handed, but the ball drops just past his fingertips.

  13. Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    These are the sessions where you have to learn not to leak many runs. These are the days where your not going to blast out the opposition. It's can you keep the pressure on and not let the game go away. That's the next step for these bowlers.

  14. Alison Mitchell
    Test Match Special commentator

    Rachin Ravindra is a man who is finding his form, he's found his form out there.

  15. NZ 168-2

    Josh Tongue has had a couple of expensive overs since returning to the attack.

    This one goes for 11, with Ravin Ravindra picking up a couple of fours.

    Two deliveries that are begging to be hit are dispatched through cover and behind square.

  16. Ben Jones
    CricViz analyst

    In his last nine first-class matches, dating back to the start of August 2025, Henry Nicholls is averaging 111.40. Decent touch.

  17. NZ 157-2

    Joe Root continues and Henry Nicholls comes down the track to lump him down the ground for four.

    There's not a sniff of a wicket at the moment.

  18. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Henry Nicholls has played nicely. In this innings he's been able to meet the balls with the full face of the bat, he's looked really solid.

  19. NZ 151-2

    Lead by 251

    Henry Nicholls is fine to continue, but he's struck against by Josh Tongue's next ball.

    The delivery slides down and clips the batter's ankles, racing away for four leg byes.

    That's New Zealand's 150 up.

  20. Get Involved

    Click ‘Get Involved’ to have your say

    Let’s be honest, even with Ollie Robinson and Gus Atkinson, we’re a very average and one-dimensional bowling attack. Neither would be adding much more than what we have here. Ben Stokes perhaps would offer something different. Lord's pitch papered over a lot of cracks.

    John, Newcastle

    I wonder how Rehan Ahmed would have bowled on this dry pitch? There’s a seemingly endless discussion about producing spinners in England; we’re hardly encouraging young players to dedicate themselves to the art of spin when we’ve treat them dreadfully for what, a decade?

    Che, Notts

    I think there is going to be a serious run chase for England. I think I might break the bank and buy a ticket for day four. England definitely in a bad place but there is always that slim chance.

    Jesse, London