Kane Williamson anticipates the third England – New Zealand test
England and New Zealand set another grandstand final for a test match after on the third day they left New Zealand 137 runs ahead with five ports in hand overnight.
The series has been appealing all along, as the momentum has oscillated wildly between two attacking teams, and this Headingley test has followed the pattern of games at Lord’s and Trent Bridge with both sides doing shifts to take charge. New Zealand appeared to be in control on Saturday as Kane Williamson approached the half-century mark, before Matthew Potts, Joe Root and Jack Leach picked up a port each in the afternoon session to put the hosts in control.
If England can chase New Zealand’s total in the fourth inning, they will complete a 3-0 white series, crowning the perfect start for captain Ben Stokes ’new regime and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Follow all the latest coverage of today’s game with our live blog below:
England vs New Zealand – Third Test, fourth day in Headingley
Show the latest update 1656244466
New Zealand 249-5 (Mitchell 43 *, Blundell 41 *) led by 218
England, indeed, takes the new ball and it will be Stuart Broad who will throw the first shot. Can they get a breakthrough just before lunch?
Three slips in place, the crowd – which has understandably been a bit soporific this morning – cheers and cheers. Good line and length with the first ball, left by Blundell and taken to Billings. Same with the second installment. However, a promising amount of bounce.
Play and miss the third ball! Great Broad delivery and a really good Blundell foul. The fourth installment sinks into the pads and wins a big draw from England, but the referee doesn’t move. He seemed to hit him off the line.
This has been the most dramatic for a while. Penultimate delivery well defended by Blundell when he advances and the last ball is also kept out.
Time for one more before lunch.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:54 PM
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New Zealand 249-5 (Mitchell 43 *, Blundell 41 *) led by 218
Final before the new ball and England could get two overs with the fresh cherry before lunch. One for Broad and the other for Leach? Or rhythm from both ends?
Anyway, Leach has six balls left with this old cherry, Mitchell advances them all but is a maiden for the spinner.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:53 PM
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New Zealand 249-5 (Mitchell 43 *, Blundell 41 *) led by 218
One might think that Root’s final is over, assuming England take the new ball at the first opportunity.
He turns sharply towards the right Blundell and stays low, but lowers the bat well. The root is stopped in half to remove some debris that has flown into the field. He doesn’t disturb his pace, however, even though Blundell makes the final delivery through a midwife, Overton chases and dives in to avoid the limit. Good game: only two.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:51 PM
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New Zealand 247-5 (Mitchell 43 *, Blundell 39 *) led by 216
Leach ties Mitchell up and this is a maiden. England still cannot break that partnership.
Just two overs for the new ball now.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:47 PM
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New Zealand 247-5 (Mitchell 43 *, Blundell 39 *) led by 216
Root better when the first ball spits past Mitchell’s outer edge into Billings’ gloves.
CLOSE! Mitchell’s blow to the side of the leg comes out aerial and flies over Pope’s head with one short leg for one. I really had no chance of getting caught.
Excitement erupts from the next ball as well when it hits the air with Blundell’s bat, but it stays below Stuart Broad in the middle for about a yard. Best of England.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:46 PM
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New Zealand 246-5 (Mitchell 42 *, Blundell 39 *) led by 215
Leach keeps things tighter than his old pattern, as the first four balls don’t come out of the inside of the field. The penultimate installment pulled out the pads for a single part of Mitchell.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:42 PM
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New Zealand 245-5 (Mitchell 41 *, Blundell 39 *) led by 214
It takes root for one more second and Mitchell comes out aerial from a ball that is too short: there is no deep particle and that is out for FOUR!
The next ball is again too short and, with his back foot, Mitchell hits it through the covers for another FOUR! A single from the penultimate ball means he is nine above.
England stepping on water until this new ball (now five overs away) and New Zealand taking the lead.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:39 p.m.
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New Zealand 236-5 (Mitchell 32 *, Blundell 39 *) led by 205
Good job inside the Stokes field to avoid a single, but Blundell turns off the next ball with a clip to his leg.
The last ball of the over pushes into the offside for another single. There is no drama for Leach’s Black Caps.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:37 PM
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New Zealand 234-5 (Mitchell 31 *, Blundell 38 *) led by 203
Joe Root goes to the bowl instead of Overton.
Beautiful reverse sweep for Mitchell’s FOUR from the first ball, he tries the same again from the next delivery, makes a mistake but takes off his gloves, then the tip of the bat and passes between the goalkeeper and the first slip by to FOUR more!
The next installment cut his toes for two before Mitchell decides it’s fun enough for the end and defends the last three installments. There are still ten left.
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:34 PM
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New Zealand 224-5 (Mitchell 21 *, Blundell 38 *) led by 193
Nine overs up to the new ball and one would think England will have to take it. Leach looks reasonably dangerous, but Overton and the punches have no joy.
“Oh, that’s so close,” Sam Billings moans from behind the stumps as Mitchell tries to sweep the front pad and it strays from the glove by the side of his leg. Close to hitting the pad and if it did, it was probably feathered lbw.
Get each of the first three balls individually and that’s it
Luke Baker June 26, 2022 12:30 p.m.