Bairstow and Overton rescue England after Boult fireworks on day two

Match Centre

Bruising retaliation from England

With England 2-0 up in the series but reeling at 55/6 in reply to the tourists’ 329, Bairstow and Overton combined to produce a hugely entertaining partnership and leave the third Test very match in the balance after two days.

It was Bairstow who led the charge for England, scoring at a-run-a-ball or better for much of his outstanding knock of 130* – a tenth Test century and his fourth already in what has been a brilliant 2022 to-date for the 32-year-old.

And at the other end the debutant Overton looked every inch the all-rounder that England had heralded him as being when naming him in the Test XI for the first time.

The Surrey man ended the day's play 11 runs short of a Test century on debut, and will resume on 89* with England 65 runs behind at 264/6 after just 49 overs.

Solid start from the Black Caps

A memorable day began with New Zealand adding 104 runs to their overnight score, with the in-form Daryl Mitchell (109) leading the charge.

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Mitchell brought up his century to continue a fine individual series with the bat for the Kiwi, and was ably supported by a quickfire 33 from Tim Southee to help the score past 300.

Jack Leach removed both batters and picked up the final scalp of Neil Wagner to secure a five-wicket haul and finish with figures of 5/100.

Trent Boult at his best

The positivity around the new era of England’s men’s Test cricket team was rocked, albeit temporarily, by the brilliance of Trent Boult in a remarkable spell of new-ball bowling in the afternoon session.

The brilliant Boult ripped through England’s top order, dismissing Alex Lees (4), Ollie Pope (5) and Zak Crawley (6), all bowled, to put the home side in huge trouble.

When Tim Southee had Joe Root caught behind for just five runs it looked like England were heading for a huge first-innings deficit.

And things didn’t get much better after tea when an extraordinarily-attacking 13-ball 18 from Ben Stokes came to an end when he charged Wagner and chipped a catch to Kane Williamson, with Ben Foakes departing for a duck just three balls later.

At 55/6 and with the first of England’s specialist bowlers at the crease it looked as if even the follow-on might have been an option for New Zealand on day two.

But Bairstow and Overton had other ideas.