England fight back against New Zealand in third Test at Trent Bridge

By Sanjay Menon — 26 June 2026 — 4 min read

England staged a significant comeback on the second day of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, largely thanks to a century from Ben Duckett and a strong bowling performance led by captain Ben Stokes. The hosts closed the day on 223-2, trailing New Zealand by 215 runs.

The turnaround followed a challenging start for England, as New Zealand had reached 317-0 on the opening day. However, England managed to take all 10 wickets for 121 runs, dismissing the tourists for a total of 438. Stokes, returning to the side after missing the second Test, played a crucial role with his bowling.

Stokes Leads Bowling Attack

Ben Stokes delivered an inspirational spell, particularly before lunch, where he claimed three wickets for 13 runs in eight overs. His efforts were central to England‘s ability to restrict New Zealand. Overall, Stokes finished with figures of 4-70. His performance meant he became the second all-rounder, after South Africa‘s Jacques Kallis, to achieve 250 wickets and over 7,000 Test runs.

The England captain’s impact was evident after the team failed to make an early breakthrough on the second day. Stokes ended a 50-minute wait for a wicket by dismissing Daryl Mitchell, who was adjudged to have edged the ball behind after a review. He later removed Will O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner, the latter controversially given out after the third umpire determined the ball had brushed his glove’s wristband.

Other bowlers also contributed to the collapse. Shoaib Bashir took two wickets in an over, while Jofra Archer claimed one and struck Blair Tickner, leading to the seamer’s withdrawal from the match due to concussion. New Zealand lost six wickets for 77 runs on Friday, having started the day on 361-4.

Duckett’s Rapid Century

In response to New Zealand‘s total, Ben Duckett provided a rapid-fire 113 runs, reaching his seventh Test century from just 88 balls. This was his first Test hundred since last June and his joint quickest. His innings was marked by free-flowing shots through the off side and various sweep shots, turning Trent Bridge into his personal playground.

Duckett‘s innings was not without a moment of fortune, as he was dropped on eight by Henry Nicholls at third slip. He capitalised on this reprieve, forming a significant 179-run partnership with Jacob Bethell for the second wicket. Bethell, who supported Duckett effectively, remained unbeaten on 74, marking his first half-century at home and in the first innings of a Test.

The partnership helped England recover from the early loss of Emilio Gay for a duck. Duckett‘s century was a moment of relief for the player, who had gone 14 innings without a Test half-century prior to this knock. He had also opted out of the Indian Premier League to focus on red-ball cricket with Nottinghamshire, aiming to regain form.

After Duckett was eventually dismissed for 113, Joe Root joined Bethell at the crease. Root reached 21 not out, as the pair held firm until stumps. Despite still trailing, England‘s strong performance on the second day has set a platform for them to pursue a victory in the decisive third Test.

Team Spirit and Future Prospects

The fightback displayed by England, particularly given the extreme temperatures and a flat pitch, evoked memories of their memorable win in 2022 against the same opponents at the same venue. That match, where New Zealand posted 553 in their first innings, is often cited as the ignition point for England‘s aggressive ‘Bazball’ philosophy.

The team’s resilience, especially after a period of mixed results, has been noted. They managed to secure two wickets with the final two balls of day one and then dominated the second day’s play. This performance could potentially ease pressure on the team’s leadership, at least temporarily, in what has been a challenging eight months for England cricket.

New Zealand‘s bowling attack was already weakened by the absence of Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, and the concussion to Blair Tickner further stretched their resources, leading to Zak Foulkes coming on as a concussion substitute. The conditions, combined with a small ground and a fast outfield, made it difficult for New Zealand to contain England‘s scoring rate.

The second day’s play concluded with Jacob Bethell and Joe Root at the crease, holding firm for England.

Source: bbc.com