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England 325/9d & 374 (Root 57, Brook 54, Foakes 51; Tickner 3/55, Bracewell 3/68)
NZ 306 & 63/5 (Bracewell 25no, Latham 15; Broad 4/21)
England lead by 331 runs
23rd over - Root will try to bowl a very quick over to squeeze another in before stumps. He has two minutes...
Bracewell taking his time to ready himself, just to slow things down, NZ 63/5
England try to bluff one last over, but the bails are removed and NZ have survived the third day.
They still face a massive challenge to win this test, but join us at 2pm tomorrow to see how they fare.
22nd over - Leach enters the attack with six minutes until stumps. Bracewell flicks him over the infield and Mitchell's hammy gets an examination with a sharp second.
Bracewell plays down fine leg, past Crawley for two, NZ 63/5
21st over - Robinson to Mitchell, who plays behind square leg for four off the first ball.
Mitchell plays onto his pad and the ball lobs up, but well clear of any danger. He's beaten by the next ball, but keeps his back foot home to avoid the stumping, NZ 57/5
20th over - Broad to Bracewell, who drives through long off for three runs.
NZ have now surpassed their second, third and fourth-worst scores ever, so they're working their way out of history.
Mitchell takes a single, Bracewell takes a single... 13 minutes until stumps.
Mitchell single off the last ball brings up 1000 test runs, NZ 52/5
19th over - Robinson to Bracewell, who takes a sharp single off the third ball. Mitchell barely beats the throw and seems to pull up a little short there.
Sure enough, the physio has been summoned and hamstring stretches ensue. Mitchell takes a single off the next ball, but is not moving freely.
Bracewell swings over midwicket for four. Maybe they'll nurse Mitchell's hammy through to stumps with boundaries.
Bracewell takes a single off the last ball, NZ 46/5
18th over - Broad to Mitchell, who edges towards leg slip and then watches one beat the outside edge. Foakes dons a helmet and moves upto the stumps to keep Mitchell from taking guard outside his crease.
Mitchell dabs and runs, but sent back quickly. A maiden, NZ 39/5
17th over - Robinson to Bracewell, who drives through mid on for four, NZ 39/5
16th over - Broad to Mitchell and it's a maiden, NZ 35/5
15th over - Robinson to Mitchell, who dabs to cover for a single.
Bracewell is off the mark with a single through cover, but it turns to five, when the overthrow runs to the boundary.
Mitchell takes a single off the final ball, NZ 35/5
14th over - Broad to Blundell.
OUT - Broad cleans out another batter and there's nothing the Blackcaps can do about it
Tom Blundell b Broad 1 (10b)
Bracewell to the crease. Luckily, NZ have already surpassed their lowerst test score, which was 26 against England in 1955, NZ 28/5
13th over - Robinson to Blundell, who is lucky to miss a ball that jags back over the stumps.
Blundell drops and runs to get off the mark, NZ 28/4
12th over - Broad to Mitchell, who plays out a maiden, NZ 27/4
Time for a drinks break... better make mine a double :-/
11th over - Robinson to Mitchell, who gets off the mark with three through point.
OUT - Nicholls edges behind and Foakes dives to his left for the catch
Henry Nicholls c Foakes b Robinson 7 (20b)
First-innings centurion Tom Blundell is called upon again and defends the last three balls of the over, NZ 27/4
10th over - Broad to Nicholls, who plays through cover for two runs, NZ 24/3
Ninth over - Robinson to Nicholls, who drives through midwicket for two. then behind square leg for a single, NZ 22/3
Eighth over - Broad to Latham, who edges into the slips, but Crawley spills it and the ball runs for two.
OUT - Straight through Latham onto the stumps and this could be over real quick
Tom Latham b Broad 15 (27b, 1x4)
Mitchell to the wicket, NZ 19/3
Seventh over - Robinson comes into the attack to Latham, who plays to point for a single.
Nicholls is off the mark with two behind square leg, NZ 17/2
Sixth over - Broad to Williamson, who needs some runs. Remember, he surrendered the captaincy to concentrate on his batting, which has stagnated a little lately.
OUT - Identical ball to the one that dismissed Conway and Williamson has a duck
Kane Williamson b Broad 0 (5b)
Nicholls comes to the middle, NZ 14/2
Fifth over - Williamson comes to the crease, but Anderson will bowl to Latham.
Anderson gets one to cut back on Latham and nicks something, but it seems like pad. Latham plays out a maiden, NZ 14/1
Fourth over - Broad to Latham, who plays past point for two, then drops and runs to get the scoreboard ticking.
OUT - Broad beats Conway and cleans out his stumps for the first wicket
Devon Conway b Broad 2 (10b)
That wicket takes Broad and Anderson past Warne and McGrath for most successful bowling partnership in test cricket
Third over - Anderson to Conway, but Latham needs to replace his bat.
Conway plays to square leg for a single, Latham takes a single off the last ball, NZ 11/0
Second over - Broad to Latham, who takes four runs through midwicket off the second ball and then three through the same area.
Conway is off the mark with a single, NZ 9/0
First over - Latham and Conway out in the middle to start the Blackcaps innings, with Latham taking a sharp single off Anderson immediately.
Conway plays out the rest of the over, NZ 1/0
ENGLAND
75th over - Bracewell to Anderson, who lays to legside for a single off the first ball. Similar shot from Leach, same result.
Anderson takes three runs...
OUT - Leach dances down the wicket and misses, as Blundell completes the stumping, identical dismissal to Ben Stokes
Jack Leach st Blundell b Bracewell 12 (40b, 1x4)
That's the end of the England innings with a lead of 393, which would be a record run chase in New Zealand, with the best bowling conditions about to kick in under lights.
74th over - Kuggeleijn to Leach, who plays behind square leg for two. He prods wide of Latham fielding close.
Leach cuts square for four, ENG 369/9
73rd over - Bracewell to Leach, who plays through midwicket for three runs. Anderson cuts for two.
Anderson attempts a reverse sweep and misses, ENG 363/9
72nd over - Kuggeleijn to Robinson, who crossbats him to long on for four.
OUT - Robinson tries to swing through legside, but gets a top edge that falls to Nicholls fielding close
Ollie Robinson c Nicholls b Kuggeleijn 39 (48b, 6x4)
Jimmy Anderson strides to the middle and survives four balls, ENG 358/9
71st over - Bracewell to bowl the first over after dinner to Robinson, who dinks one to fine leg for four. He scoops the last ball to leg side for a single, ENG 354/8
DINNER
70th over - Wagner to Robinson for the last over before dinner. Robinson steps away and smacks through long off for four, then takes a single, ENG 349/8
Time for dinner.
69th over - Bracewell to Robinson, who takes a leg bye, ENG 344/8
68th over - Wagner has recovered from the mauling he got earlier and returns to take a crack at the tail.
Leach top-edges a sharpish delivery, but Southee can't get there for a catch under the lid, ENG 343/8
67th over - Bracewell to Robinson, who top edges to midwicket, but beyond the scampering Williamson, ENG 342/8
64th over - Tickner to Robinson, who takes a single off the fourth ball. Leach gets off the mark with two runs to deep square leg, ENG 341/8
63rd over - Bracewell to Robinson, who takes a single off the first ball. Leach attempts another reverse sweep, but doesn't connect, ENG 338/8
62nd over - Tickner to Robinson, who takes a single off the second ball, ENG 337/8
61st over - Bracewell to Robinson, who scoops through midwicket for a single, ENG 336/8
60th over - Tickner returns to replace his captain. Foakes plays through midwicket for two.
Robinson is waving at the pavilion and the physio is headed his way. During his treatment, the ball has also been changed.
Foakes pulls Tickner through midwicket for two and his fifty.
OUT - Foakes edges the next ball and Blundell takes a regulation catch behind the stumps
Ben Foakes c Blundell b Tickner 51 (80b, 5x4)
Jack Leach to the middle, ENG 335/8
59th over - Bracewell to Foakes, who takes a single off the first ball.
Robinson plays a reverse sweep for four, ENG 331//7
58th over - Southee to Foakes, who hooks behind square leg for a single.
Robinson scoops to midwicket for a single. Foakes plays back past the bowler for two, ENG 324/7
57th over - Bracewell to Foakes, who takes a single, ENG 319/7
56th over - Southee to Foakes, who plays through cover for a single, ENG 318/7
55th over - Bracewell to Robinson, who flicks off his pads for four, ENG 317/7
54th over - Southee brings himself back into the attack to Foakes, who takes a single off the fourth ball.
Robinson takes a single, ENG 313/7
53rd over - Bracewell to Robinson, who reverse-sweeps for four. He could teach Joe Root a thing or two.
Same shot, but slowed by slip and only three runs. Bracewell takes Robinson on the pad and appeals, turned down, but Southee reviews.
Robinson had an inside edge onto the pad, so not out, ENG 311/7
52nd over - Kuggeleijn to Foakes, who digs out a yorker for four through midwicket, then takes a single.
Robinson off the mark with a single. Foakes mistimes at hook at a rising ball and takes a deflection to the arm, causing some discomfort.
Drinks are taken early, while they check the wound.
Kuggeleijn's last ball is finally dispatched to long leg for four by Foakes, ENG 303/7
51st over - Bracewell to Stokes, who plays through long off for four, then takes a single.
Foakes takes a single.
OUT - Stokes advances and is beaten by the spin, stumped by Blundell standing up - huge wicket!
Ben Stokes st Blundell b Bracewell 31 (33b, 3x4, 2x6)
We're into the bowlers, as Robinson arrives at the crease.
50th over - Kuggeleijn to Foakes.
Replays show Stokes actually got bat on that last ball from Bracewell.
Foakes plays along the ground behind square leg for four and the lead is now 300. He takes a single.
Kuggeleijn bowls too short to Stokes and is called for wide. Stokes scoops to deep cover for two, ENG 287/6
49th over - Bracewell to Foakes, who takes four over midwicket off the third ball, then a single.
Bracewell takes Stokes on the pad, but turned down and Southee against the review, ENG 278/6
48th over - Kuggeleijn to Foakes, who takes a single behind square leg.
Stokes catches up with a ball headed down legside and swats it onto the bank for six, giving him the most in test history.
Stokes plays the same shot, but Wagner is there to take the catch... and tumble over the rope. Bugger! ENG 273/6
47th over - Bracewell beats Stokes with the first ball. In the six overs since tea, England have scored only 19 runs at a rate of 3.16, positively pedestrian by their standards.
Stokes takes a single, Foakes takes a single. Stokes tries to sweep and misses, ENG 260/6
46th over - Kuggeleijn to Stokes, who backs off the first ball, then grabs a single off the eventual delivery.
Foakes sways away from a bouncer, then guides a legside ball past the keeper for four. Kuggeleijn responds with another bouncer, called wide, ENG 258/6
45th over - Bracewell to Foakes, who takes a single off the fourth ball. Stokes nudges for a single.
Foakes backs away late and Bracewell finds the stumps. Called a no ball, ENG 252/6
44th over - Kuggeleijn to Foakes, who takes a single off the second ball.
Stokes pulls along the ground for four to get off the mark. Emboldened, he skips dow the pitch and plays behind point for another bounday, ENG 250/6
43rd over - Bracewell to Foakes, who plays off his pads to fine leg for three, ENG 241/6
42nd over - Kuggeleijn to Foakes, who pulls out of a bouncer. Just a single, as the run rate slows to a temporary (?) trickle, ENG 238/6
41st over - Still five balls remaining in the Bracewell over, after Root's premature dismissal before tea. Stokes comes to the crease, perhaps a little later in the order than usual, but he's the last real batter left for England.
He plays out a rare maiden, ENG 237/6
TEA BREAK
41st over - WICKET: Root c Mitchell b Bracewell 57
Bracewell continues. Root reverse sweeps, he top edges right through Blundell's gloves and it carries through to Mitchell! Big wicket for NZ. The players walk off and that's the end of the first session. England 237/6
40th over
Tickner resumes. Root pulls and picks up a single. Tickner bowling regulary above 140kph. This time he bowls slightly too straight and Foakes gets one run towards fine leg. Root plays a nice shot off the pads and gets two. England 237/5
39th over
Bracewell again and Foakes comes down the pitch and hoists him over square leg for a couple. Bracewell keeping it tight, as Foakes defends, before working it towards midwicket for another dot. Foakes can't find the gap and that's a good over from Bracewell. England 232/5
38th over
Tickner continues. He's bowling a tight line in that fifth-stump area, as Root chops it away through backward point for a single. Tickner goes short this time and Foakes ducks. Tickner goes fast and full and Foakes whips it for a single. England 230/5
37th over
Bracewell continues with some off-spin. Root works it through square leg for a single, before Foakes rocks onto the backfoot and picks up a single on the legside. Root sweeps for another one, before Bracewell ends the over with a dot ball. England 228/5
36th over - WICKET: Brooke c Mitchell b Tickner 54
Tickner resumes. Brook mis-times it down the ground for no run, before slashing it through gully for four runs! Tickner bowls a good length, and Brook plays, but edges it right to Mitchell at slip! Foakes the next batter in, not Stokes - interesting call. England 225/5
35th over
Bracewell to bowl the first over of spin today. Brook immediately comes down the wicket and charges, but inside edges it to a fielder for no run. Next ball he cuts and finds a gap for a couple. Root reverse sweeps for three to bring up his 50. Brooks hits a single off the last to bring up his half-cetury. England 221/4
34th over
Tickner continues. He traps Root on the pads, but umpire turns down the appeal - Southee reviews! It's missing the wickets and NZ lose a review. Root clips it on the legside for an easy single. Brook plays a rare front-foot defence. Ends over with a single. England 214/4
33rd over
Wagner again. Brook misses a short delivery and is hit right in the solarplex, looks to be in a bit of pain. But no matter, as he makes room and swats a short one for four runs. And again! He pulls and Conway charges but JUST can't get to it and that's another four. Make that three from three! Similiar shot, and finds the rope over long-on. Make that six this time! He batters him on the banks for a maximum. What an over for Brooke and the tourists. England 212/4
32nd over
Tickner replaces Kuggeleijn. Root cuts and cuts well for four runs through point. Tickner comes back well with a couple of dot balls thanks to some tidy fielding at cover. Root manages to get bat on a low one and it just misses the stumps and finds the rope for four runs. England 194/4
31st over
Wagner continues. Root picks up a couple on the legside with a nice-looking pull. Wagner bowling a very consistent line, short and at the body, as Root pulls for another single towards fine leg. Wagner ends the over with a couple of dots, a rare inexpensive over. England 186/4
30th over
Kuggeleijn continues and it's too straight and short and Root guides it towards fine leg for an easy boundary. Brook plays the best shot of the day, spanking it through extra cover - textbook stuff. Brook picks up another couple with a backfoot pull. England 183/4
29th over
Wagner continues and Brook greets him with a pull through backward square leg for four. Brook makes room on the legside and dispatches Wagner for six runs! He goes short and Brook JUST evades a diving Bracewell. Brook makes room and flat bats it for another four. England 172/4
28th over
Kuggeleijn continues. Brook clips the first ball off the front foot towards the on-side for a single. Root pokes towards gully before he and Brooke both exchange singles. Kuggeleijn goes full and Root pinches a quick single. Brook picks up another one and that'll be drinks. England 156/4
27th over
Wagner continues. He bowls back of a length, swinging away and Blundell can't gather and Brook picks up a single. Root rushed with a short ball but manages to evade the fielder for a single. Brook picks up a couple before he JUST clears Latham for a single. England 151/4
26th over
Kuggeleijn continues. He finds Brook's edge and it nearly carries. Kuggeleijn following Wagner's lead and going short. Kuggeleijn bowling extremely well, keeping it tight with a good inswinger which forces a good block from Brooke. Five dots to finish the over. England 145/4
25th over - WICKET: Pope c Blundell b Wagner 49
Wagner is back! He replaces Southee. Goes short and Root pulls for an easy single. Pope makes room and slaps it through cover for four runs! Again he makes room and hits Wagner over his head for another boundary. Pope has another swipe but can only get a little tickle on it to Blundell and he has to go! Wagner is pumped. Brook new batter in. England 144/4
24th over
Kuggeleijn replaces Wagner after his four overs. He beats Pope with his second delivery, before the England skipper and Root exchange singles to bring up a 38-ball 50-run partnership. Kuggeleijn keeping it wide of off stump and Pope cuts for a single. England 134/3
23rd over
Southee continues and Pope clips it off the pads for a single. Root comes down the wicket but can't beat the fielder. Root goes front foot and drives through cover for a single. Southee bowls a tight fourth-stump line and Root opts against playing at it. England 130/3
22nd over
Wagner starts with a straight delivery and Root pulls hard but just for one. Wagner goes short to Pope, and he cuts for one through cover. Wagner goes short and Root launches him over backward square for six! And again! But this time Pope hoists it over for six! England 128/3
21st over
Southee is back, is keeping it around that fifth stump mark, before Root clips it through midwicket for four runs. Root chops another through gully but fielder does enough to take the pace off and keep it to a single. Pope decides against playing the last ball. England 112/3
20th over
Wagner goes short and wide, and Pope helps it on its way over the boundary rope for six! Pope makes room and cuts but only picks up a single towards deep third. Wagner again goes short, this time straighter and Pope whacks it for another six. Couple singles to finish. England 107/3
19th over
Southee returns and it clips Root's pads on its way to the rope for four runs. Very next ball Root inside edges it for another boundary, very lucky not to hit the stumps. Root struggling to find the middle, as he finds the edge again onto the pads. Plays and misses the last ball. England 91/3
18th over - WICKET: Broad c Nicholls b Wagner 7
Wagner starts with a short ball, Broad gets into a tangle and lobs it right to Nicholls at gully for the first wicket of the day. Great delivery. Wagner keeping it short at new batter Joe Root but too wide to trouble him. Root tries to pull but can't find any space. Ends with a single. England 83/3
17th over
Blackcaps captain Tim Southee to continue from the other end. Starts with a wide-ish delivery, before forcing a good block from Pope. And again, another aggressive delivery on the stumps. Pope comes down the wicket but can't find a gap. Maiden over. England 82/2
16th over
Wagner gets us underway with a short ball and Broad fends it off to the offside. And it's also a no-ball. Broad guides it to deep third for the first run of the day. Wagner keeping it short in the first over, before Pope scores a single off the last delivery. England 82/2
1:58pm - Thank you for joining us on this beautiful day at Bay Oval! Bit of cloud about, but should make for a great day of cricket.
England captain Ollie Pope and Stuart Broad will resume the innings at 79/2, with a lead of 98 runs entering day three.
Will be interesting to see their approach, and if look to score quickly and get the Blackcaps in under the lights. Just moments away from the first ball!
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Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of day three of the third test between the Blackcaps and England, from Mt Maunganui's Bay Oval.
After the opening two days, England hold a 98-run lead, and will resume at 79/2 in their second innings.
The visitors' 325/9d was met by 306 all out from the Blackcaps, as a Tom Blundell century and 77 to Devon Conway reduced England's advantage to just 16 runs yesterday.
Make no mistake, though, England will be the happier of the two sides.
True, they've lost their openers, but the powerful middle order is intact as play resumes on Saturday.
No.3 batter Ollie Pope will resume on 14, after a fluent 42 on the opening day, and he's joined by the self-dubbed 'Nighthawk' Stuart Broad.
The Blackcaps need to break this partnership as soon as possible, before they can get stuck into the likes of Joe Root, Harry Brook and Ben Stokes.
TAB odds: England $1.36, New Zealand $3.20, draw $18
'Bloody amazing': Blundell hails Tickner's batting heroics en route to century
Blair Tickner wasn't picked to make his Blackcaps test debut for his batting, but that's exactly what came to the fore on day two of the first test against England - guiding wicketkeeper Tom Blundell to his century.
Coming to the wicket at 247/9, and with the Blackcaps still behind by 74 runs, Tickner survived 24 balls - but more importantly allowed Blundell to score the 14 runs required to move from 86 and on to his fourth test hundred.
Blundell's fourth test ton, and second against England, also saw him become the first gloveman to register a century in a pink ball test match.
And coupled with further partnerships of 75 with Devon Conway (77), and 53 with debutant Scott Kuggeleijn (20), Blundell pushed the Blackcaps' first innings score to 306 all out in response to England's 325/9 declared.
While Tickner's three not out will hardly register as one of the great scores in New Zealand's cricketing history, his holding up an end allowed Blundell to play freely, as the duo added a last wicket stand of 59 runs - the second-highest partnership of the Blackcaps' innings.
In the process, 32-year-old Blundell moved to his highest test score, going past his 121 opening the batting against Australia at the MCG in 2019, before he was the last man out for 138, and reduced England's advantage to just 19 runs.
And as Tickner himself struck with the ball to remove first innings dangerman Ben Duckett, and Scott Kuggeleijn had opening partner Zak Crawley, England finished day two at 79/2, 98 runs in front.
While not a game-winner in and of itself, the Blundell-Tickner partnership changed the game for the Blackcaps and has allowed New Zealand to fight another day - with three still to be played at Bay Oval.
Speaking after his career-best effort with the bat, Blundell was quick to credit the work of his less-accomplished batting partner, keeping the Blackcaps in the contest along the way.
"I thought he did bloody well, to be honest," said Blundell. "There was chat that he's done it before in domestic cricket. I think he's faced 100 balls in one game.
"For him to do that was bloody amazing, to help me out. Kudos goes to him."
Blundell's efforts with the bat against England at Mt Maunganui only add to his run of recent success against the Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes-led side.
Last year, in a 3-0 New Zealand loss, Blundell scored 383 runs at an average of just under 77, finishing as the series' fourth-highest run scorer.
And while many of the plaudits went the way of Daryl Mitchell (538 runs at 107.60) in that series, Blundell's contributions were just as significant to the New Zealand middle order.
After initially struggling to emerge from the shadow of BJ Watling as New Zealand's wicketkeeper, Blundell has more than made the spot his own.
Now, the Blackcaps genuinely have a No.6 batter also able to lay claim as one of the world's premier glovemen.
"It's all about trusting my game," said Blundell. "The older you get, the more trust comes your way.
"I took a lot of confidence from last year in England, doing well against them, and I've faced them before, just being able to trust that really."
