Second Rothesay Test, The Kia Oval (day three of five)
New Zealand 391 (Phillips 100, Blundell 51; Bethell 3-26) & 252-3 (Nicholls 119*, Ravindra 76)
England 291 (Gay 53, Fisher 50*; Henry 5-80)
New Zealand are 352 runs ahead
England’s parlous position in the second Test against New Zealand was compounded by drops from debutant wicketkeeper James Rew and a superb century by Henry Nicholls.
On the day Ben Stokes made his return to action for Durham following an incident in a London nightclub, an England team without their captain were slowly roasted in the heat of The Oval.
By the end of the third day, New Zealand had moved to 252-3 in their second innings, leading by 352 and primed to level the series at 1-1.
Rew was one of five changes and three new caps brought in by England from the team that won the first Test at Lord’s. The chances he missed were difficult, yet catchable and costly.
Diving to his left, Rew put down Rachin Ravindra when he had only seven. Nicholls, on 42, gloved an attempted hook down the leg side and Rew parried the ball high to his right.
Reprieved, the New Zealand third-wicket pair added 161. Ravindra was lbw to Jacob Bethell for 76, but Nicholls pushed on to end the day on 119 not out.
England earlier gave up a first-innings lead of 100 by being bowled out for 291. It was a below-par total on a good pitch and would have been worse had it not been for number nine Matthew Fisher’s maiden unbeaten half-century.
From 222-6 overnight, the home side were reduced to 238-9 by Matt Henry’s five-wicket haul, before Fisher added 53 for the 10th wicket with last man Sonny Baker.