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Ben Stokes’ gut-wrenching injury creates major concern for England
Ben Stokes spent most of the day on the treatment table having his hamstring iced as the England captain’s robustness as a Test match all-rounder once again became a major concern.
Stokes limped off after bowling the second ball of his 13th over in New Zealand’s second innings, heading straight for the dressing room after pulling up in his followthrough in only his third over of the day.
He did not return to the field and will have a scan on Monday night to assess the damage. He is unlikely to bat in the second innings given the risk of injury in a match that is heading for a huge New Zealand win.
In the absence of England’s talismanic captain and all-rounder, New Zealand piled on the agony, with Kane Williamson helping himself to his ninth Hamilton hundred. He made 156 before his side were bowled out for 453, setting England what would be a world record chase of 658. A farcical day ended with England reeling at 18 for two, Ben Duckett playing on charging Tim Southee in the second over of the innings; a brainless dismissal that summed up a dreadful team performance.
Tim Southee with the early breakthrough in his final Test! The first England wicket falls LIVE and free in NZ on TVNZ DUKE and TVNZ+ #NZvENG #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/37fAxnHZZB
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 16, 2024
Zak Crawley’s misery continued, falling for the sixth time out of six in the series to Matt Henry. He was pinned leg-before for five and looked as if he made comments to the umpire as he walked off. Crawley averaged 8.66 against New Zealand on this tour, the lowest ever for an England opener who has batted six times in a series, and was six for nine against his kryptonite Henry.
Losing two wickets in the last six overs of the day capped what had gone before. England’s attack was so ravaged with injury and exhaustion that Harry Brook took the second new ball and Jacob Bethell – first class bowling average 96.85 – recorded the best innings’ figures of three for 72.
Stokes’ injury is gut-wrenching for him because before this Test he spoke confidently of putting his fitness problems behind him. But after bowling 23 overs in the first innings, he hobbled off, heading straight to the dressing room, his anguish clear with his hand covering his face.
“He has been going so well, bowling and playing the role as all-rounder and captain and we didn’t see it coming,” said Marcus Trescothick, the assistant coach. “He is pretty realistic about things when they happen.”
Stokes was just starting to re-emerge as a genuine all-rounder after nearly two years of injury problems. He was severely restricted in the 2023 Ashes by a left knee problem that required major surgery and did not return to bowling until sending down five overs in the fifth Test against India in March.
He bowled 49 overs in the three Tests against West Indies in June but just as he was building up his fitness, suffered a serious hamstring tear while batting in the Hundred that ruled him out of the rest of the summer and the first Test of the Pakistan tour.
At the age of 33 his body is showing the effects of his all or nothing approach to the game combined with intense training regimes. Hamstring injuries are notorious for recurring, particularly for sportsmen at Stokes’s age, and before this game he said he had finally started to play again without worrying about his fitness.
“I have to work so much harder on the physical side of the job to allow me to go out and do my job but I am more confident about getting through a lot of spells in a day,” he said. “That is where I got to before I pulled my hamstring. I bowled nice in the summer, had a setback but now feel out of that and worrying about anything else happening again.”
No wonder he looked so devastated as he walked off at Seddon Park. The timing of this injury, with England not due to play Test cricket again until May, is not the issue. The problem is what it suggests about Stokes’s long-term reliability for staying injury-free while fulfilling his role as an all-rounder on a five-Test Ashes tour next year.
When he can play only as a batsman it unbalances the team and upsets his own equilibrium. He admitted to being frustrated and short-tempered in Pakistan in October because he felt emasculated by his injury and later apologised to his team for his grumpiness.
Stokes bowled 23 overs on day one on Saturday, the most he has ever sent down in a day of Test cricket. It is his highest workload with the ball in an innings since the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand in 2022, a spike in workload that may have contributed to his injury.
The shortness of England’s first innings, they were dismissed for 143 in 35.4 overs, gave his body very little time to recover (the innings lasted just over two hours). With the other quick bowlers tired and down on pace, Stokes pushed himself to bowl on Monday morning to set an example but paid the price.
In Stokes’s absence, his team toiled for wickets as New Zealand piled on the runs. Shoaib Bashir, bowling in difficult circumstances with New Zealand on top and not much turn to play with, took the brunt of the punishment finishing with figures of two for 170. Williamson struck 20 fours and brought up his 33rd Test century with a six off Bethell the over after he replaced Stokes in the attack. The crowd chanted for Tim Southee to bat in his final Test, needing just two sixes for the 100th of his career. Even McCullum joined in, clapping him out of the dressing room to bat. He was caught slogging for two.
Sit back and enjoy the moment ❤️ #NZvENG #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/QdXsrtG7o0
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 16, 2024
England’s three seamers all looked cooked. Brydon Carse has struggled with blisters on his left foot throughout the series and Gus Atkinson was down on pace again. Carse bowled just four overs on the day three, Atkinson five, both showing the effects of their first winter of Test cricket. Matt Potts should be the freshest member of the attack after sitting out the first two Tests but he too was below 80mph, again bringing into question the robustness of England bowlers on flat pitches overseas. England will need at least six fast bowlers in the Ashes squad and the management will have to rotate their quicks better.
06:27 AM GMT
England finish day three 18/2
Interestingly Joe Root has not asked for a nightwatchman. Will O’Rourke will bowl the final over of the day and straight away beats Bethell on the outside edge. A few balls later he beats the outside edge again and somehow it misses the top of off stump.
Bethell blocks the final ball of the day and that ends another terrible day in this Test match as England close on 18/2, needing a further 640 runs to win this Test match. New Zealand need just eight more wickets to win this game and that may only be seven if Ben Stokes cannot bat tomorrow.
06:22 AM GMT
Wicket
Crawley LBW Henry 5 Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear! Crawley’s utterly miserable series comes to an end in the same way it started; getting out to Henry, who traps him in front. Crawley reviews and it is clipping the very outside edge of leg stump. England have had no luck in this Test and that continues there. Crawley is extremely angry with that decision. Henry has got Crawley out six times out of six in this series. FOW 18/2
06:16 AM GMT
OVER 4: ENG 17/1 (Crawley 5 Bethell 8)
Crawley is a little lucky there as a booming cover drive takes the inside edge but goes into his body rather than going onto his stumps.
Southee beats Crawley on the inside edge. Be careful Zak!
06:12 AM GMT
OVER 3: ENG 17/1 (Crawley 5 Bethell 8)
Crawley will probably be quite happy to get off strike with a single through mid-off.
Bethell gets off the mark with a neat drive through mid-off for four that Phillips could not stop. Next ball he gets another boundary as he times it perfectly through the same region.
06:08 AM GMT
OVER 2: ENG 8/1 (Crawley 4 Bethell 0)
With still over 20 minutes left, there is no nightwatchman for Jacob Bethell.
06:06 AM GMT
Wicket
Duckett b Southee 4
Duckett charged Southee once and got four. Next time he gets an inside edge, which crashes into his stumps. Southee gets a very early wicket in the final innings of his Test career. FOW 8/1
06:02 AM GMT
OVER 1: ENG 4/0 (Crawley 4 Duckett 0)
Matt Henry will bowl the first over and beats Crawley on the inside edge. Henry has been all over Crawley in this series like a rash; getting him out five times out of five. Crawley gets off the mark with a drive for four through mid-off to get England going in this most unlikely of run chases.
Henry strikes Crawley on the pads and the finger goes up. Crawley does not take long to review it. Crawley was a long way outside his crease and unsurprisingly it is going over. Personally I think that was a terrible decision, especially considering Adrian Holdstock did not give Kane Williamson out earlier off the bowling of Brydon Carse, which was way more out than that and would actually have gone on to hit the stumps.
05:56 AM GMT
England’s chase
They require a mere 658 runs to win this Test. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett make their way out to the middle with around half an hour left on day three as the sun goes down in Hamilton.
05:48 AM GMT
New Zealand all out for 453
Henry b Bethell 0 New Zealand still bat on but Henry is bowled off his pads first ball. Bethell ends with three wickets and that finishes a very strange period of cricket. England will need 658 runs to win this Test match. New Zealand will have just over half an hour to bowl at England today. FOW 453 all out
05:46 AM GMT
Wicket
Southee c Crawley b Bethell 2 He will not reach 100 Test sixes as he picks out Crawley at long-on. The crowd are disappointed. FOW 453/9
05:44 AM GMT
OVER 101: NZ 452/8 (Blundell 43 Southee 2)
Blundell sweeps Bashir over deep midwicket for six to bring up the New Zealand 450.
05:41 AM GMT
OVER 100: NZ 444/8 (Blundell 36 Southee 1)
In his final Test match, Southee comes out to bat on 98 Test sixes. He comes out to bat for the last time in Test cricket and received a great ovation as he came out to the middle. Southee is off the mark with a single into the legside to keep strike.
05:39 AM GMT
Wicket
Santner c Bashir b Root 49 After hitting Root for a few boundaries, Santner picks out Bashir at backward point. Santner falls one run short of back-to-back fifties in this Test match. FOW 443/8
05:36 AM GMT
OVER 99: NZ 423/7 (Blundell 36 Santner 33)
Bashir sends down a bouncer at Santner that strikes him on the body. Santner is swinging hard in this over but nothing is coming off for him in these few balls. Just one run off the over.
05:29 AM GMT
OVER 98: NZ 422/7 (Blundell 36 Santner 32)
Santner goes aerial over mid-on and gets four. He drills the next ball straight at Potts, who does brilliantly to stop that as it would have raced away for four.
Potts drops short and Santner deposits him over deep midwicket for six. He came in for Nathan Smith for this game and he has had a great game with bat and ball.
Time for drinks as New Zealand are not declaring.
05:25 AM GMT
OVER 97: NZ 411/7 (Blundell 36 Santner 21)
New Zealand continue to bat, for whatever reason. Their lead is now up to 615.
05:21 AM GMT
OVER 96: NZ 408/7 (Blundell 35 Santner 19)
Matthew Potts is brought back into the attack. Despite a 612-run lead, Blundell leaves the ball. I cannot believe it. Potts then gives some verbals to Blundell, perhaps asking why he is being so cautious. It is quite astounding to see Blundell leaving deliveries when New Zealand’s lead is more than 600.
Potts bowls a beauty that beats Blundell’s inside edge but goes just over the stumps.
A maiden over from Potts.
05:17 AM GMT
OVER 95: NZ 408/7 (Blundell 35 Santner 19)
Why are New Zealand still batting? Over 600 runs still not quite enough? Play could go on until 6.30am UK time if we need the extra half an hour. With overcast conditions do New Zealand not fancy an hour at Crawley et al.?
05:13 AM GMT
OVER 94: NZ 405/7 (Blundell 33 Santner 18)
A single into the legside off the bat of Santner brings up New Zealand’s 400. England have now taken the new ball. We are seeing plenty of unusual things today and this is one; Brook being handed a new ball to bowl with. He does get some away movement but Blundell drills him through cover for four.
05:09 AM GMT
OVER 93: NZ 398/7 (Blundell 28 Santner 17)
Santner drills Bashir over extra cover for four to take New Zealand’s lead past 600. Honestly, how many more do they think they need?
05:07 AM GMT
OVER 92: NZ 393/7 (Blundell 27 Santner 13)
Harry Brook is on to bowl, which the Barmy Army are happy to see, chanting his name to the tune of ‘Harry, Harry Brook, Harry, Harry Brook1!’ His first ball is a bouncer, which creates a fair amount of laughter.
Santner blocks a few balls but has then had enough and smacks Brook over long-off for six, which is caught in the crowd on the grassy banks.
This New Zealand team has no soul. Where is Tim Southee? He is on 98 career sixes in Test cricket and this is his last game. With his team hundreds of runs ahead, what do they do? Stick to their original batting line up. This Southee’s home ground and the crowd booed when Santner walked out to bat.
05:03 AM GMT
OVER 91: NZ 387/7 (Blundell 27 Santner 7)
Mitchell Santner joins Blundell in the middle. I will say it again, do New Zealand really think they need more runs or to bat more time?
Off just his third ball, Santner drills Bashir over long-off for six to get off the mark. Bashir has now conceded 150 runs in this innings. Santner batted well in the New Zealand first innings.
05:00 AM GMT
Wicket
Phillips c Carse b Bashir 3 Phillips gets underneath it and Carse takes the catch at deep midwicket. FOW 380/7
04:58 AM GMT
OVER 90: NZ 380/6 (Blundell 27 Phillips 3)
Just a couple of runs from Bethell’s latest over.
04:55 AM GMT
OVER 89: NZ 378/6 (Blundell 26 Phillips 2)
Phillips wants a quick single into the offside but Blundell is not interested. He is lazy in getting back into his crease but he gets back in the end in time.
The New Zealand lead now stands at 582 and I am not really sure why they have kept on batting to be honest. If you do not back yourselves to defend this then you do not deserve to win a Test match.
04:51 AM GMT
OVER 88: NZ 376/6 (Blundell 25 Phillips 1)
New Zealand bat on and Glenn Phillips is the next man in. He is off the mark first ball with a single through the covers. They do not need any more runs but they seem intent on continuing.
04:50 AM GMT
Wicket
Mitchell c Potts b Bethell 60 Mitchell goes down the ground again but this time does not get the contact he wants. He picks out Potts at long-off, who takes the catch at the second attempt. A nice moment for Bethell, with that being his first Test wicket. FOW 375/6
04:46 AM GMT
OVER 87: NZ 368/5 (Blundell 24 Mitchell 54)
There may be plenty of time left in this Test match but I am not really sure why New Zealand are still batting. They have such a huge lead that England are not chasing this down, even if they batted really well. The last thing someone like Zak Crawley will want is to bat tonight. If you do not think you have enough runs by now, I do not know how many you think you actually need.
Mitchell sweeps fine for four.
04:42 AM GMT
OVER 86: NZ 364/5 (Blundell 24 Mitchell 50)
Mitchell goes for the reverse sweep and the bottom edge is so close to going onto his stumps. Inches away from playing on.
A single behind square on the legside takes Mitchell to his 50 off 74 balls.
04:39 AM GMT
OVER 85: NZ 361/5 (Blundell 23 Mitchell 48)
Mitchel advances at Bashir and deposits him back over his head for six.
04:36 AM GMT
OVER 84: NZ 352/5 (Blundell 22 Mitchell 40)
Blundell has used his feet plenty of times already in this innings and hits Bethell straight back over his head for six.
New Zealand’s lead is up 556 runs. Surely a declaration will come soon and they will fancy an hour or so at England tonight.
04:29 AM GMT
OVER 83: NZ 345/5 (Blundell 16 Mitchell 39)
Blundell comes down the ground to Bashir and does not make great contact, meaning it falls short of Duckett at long-on.
Blundell tries again later in the over and this time makes better contact, whipping over wide long-on for four. He finishes the over by belting it over long-on for six.
New Zealand’s lead is now 549. How much longer will they keep batting?
Time for drinks
04:25 AM GMT
OVER 82: NZ 333/5 (Blundell 5 Mitchell 38)
The crowd had gone quiet but the Barmy Army springs into action to raise the noise levels.
Blundell punches off the back foot through the covers for two.
04:23 AM GMT
OVER 81: NZ 330/5 (Blundell 2 Mitchell 38)
Unsurprisingly England do not take the new ball. There is a big appeal for a catch at slip but umpire Ahsan Raza shakes his head. England end up having to review it but there is no bat so another unsuccessful review for Pope. Down to one review. England thought it should have been an umpire’s review like the situation with Brydon Carse yesterday with a possible bump ball but Raza did not agree. In the end no bat and Blundell is safe.
England then think they have Mitchell caught a slip but the third umpire decides it bounced just before going into Brook’s hands. That may create some debate as to whether the fingers were underneath that. Is there much difference between that and Matt Henry’s caught and bowled against Crawley yesterday?
04:16 AM GMT
OVER 80: NZ 329/5 (Blundell 1 Mitchell 38)
Blundell is off the mark fourth ball with a single through the covers.
The new ball is now available as New Zealand’s lead is up to 533.
04:13 AM GMT
OVER 79: NZ 327/5 (Blundell 0 Mitchell 37)
Tom Blundell is now out in the middle. The new ball is just one over away but I am not sure England will take it.
04:10 AM GMT
Wicket
Williamson c Ahmed b Bashir 156 Williamson’s fine knock comes to an end. He goes for the sweep but sends a top edge high into the sky. Substitute fielder Rehan Ahmed takes a good catch at deep backward square leg. FOW 327/5
04:07 AM GMT
OVER 78: NZ 325/4 (Williamson 155 Mitchell 36)
Mitchell comes down the ground to Bethell and mis-times his shot. It falls well short though of Crawley down at long-on.
04:04 AM GMT
OVER 77: NZ 322/4 (Williamson 153 Mitchell 35)
Bashir drops short and Williamson cuts through the point region for two. He is enjoying himself out there and why would he not be? England are looking ragged here and are probably hoping that New Zealand declare sooner rather than later.
04:00 AM GMT
OVER 76: NZ 318/4 (Williamson 150 Mitchell 34)
With a single down to long-off Williamson now averages 100 at Seddon Park but that would change if he gets out. Williamson plays another exquisite lofted shot over wide mid-off for four. He finishes the over by repeating the shot from earlier in the over to bring up his 150.
The new ball is not far away but the question is will England even look to take it.
The New Zealand lead is up to 522 runs.
03:57 AM GMT
OVER 75: NZ 308/4 (Williamson 141 Mitchell 33)
Mitchell begins Bashir’s latest over with a four. Another superb shot from Williamson as he drills Bashir through wide mid-off all the way along the ground for four to bring up the New Zealand 300. The runs are flowing here and it does feel like England are waiting for the New Zealand declaration to come.
Off the final ball Mitchell flicks fine off his legs for four.
03:54 AM GMT
OVER 74: NZ 294/4 (Williamson 136 Mitchell 24)
Quality shot from Williamson. He gives himself room outside leg stump and hits Bethell under control over wide mid-off for four. High-class cricket. This just highlights how inept England were with the bat in their first innings.
03:50 AM GMT
OVER 73: NZ 288/4 (Williamson 131 Mitchell 23)
It is looking pretty easy for Williamson and Mitchell, who look under no threat at the moment. I am a little surprised they have not been slightly more aggressive since the tea break.
03:47 AM GMT
OVER 72: NZ 285/4 (Williamson 129 Mitchell 22)
For the time being at least this pair seem content to just keep it ticking over and rotating strike. They bring up the 50 partnership off just 73 balls. It would appear a New Zealand declaration is not imminent, despite the fact they probably have more than enough already.
03:44 AM GMT
OVER 71: NZ 283/4 (Williamson 128 Mitchell 21)
Three singles come from Bashir’s latest over. I suspect he is in for a long bowl in this session, depending on whether New Zealand are looking to declare.
03:42 AM GMT
OVER 70: NZ 280/4 (Williamson 127 Mitchell 19)
Jacob Bethell will open up from the other end so it is spin from both ends. Williamson comes down the ground and it looks like Bethell sees him coming. It comes off the outside edge and runs away for two down to third man. A bit of fortune for Williamson and Bethell was unlucky there.
New Zealand lead by 484 runs.
03:38 AM GMT
OVER 69: NZ 276/4 (Williamson 124 Mitchell 18)
Shoaib Bashir will bowl the first over after tea and first ball there is a massive appeal for LBW. It is turned down and it looks like Mitchell was outside the line of off stump. Ollie Pope is now England’s captain with Ben Stokes off the field and, considering his review record, this is probably not out. The impact is a way outside off stump and Pope’s horrendous review record continues.
Williamson then takes a quick single up to Crawley at mid-off.
England update on Stokes: England captain Ben Stokes, who left the field during the middle session on day three of the third Test at Seddon Park, is currently receiving treatment for a left hamstring issue. He will not return to the field in this innings and will undergo further assessment to determine his availability to bat in England’s second innings.
03:32 AM GMT
Evening session
Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell are back out in the middle. Will New Zealand declare at some point in this session or just keep batting? The sun is out for what feels like the first time today.
03:22 AM GMT
Real struggle for England
It looks like Potts is struggling as well, he was hobbling his way through his last over and was replaced by Bethell for the last over before tea. England’s attack is down to the bare bones. The drops in pace of all of them is a worry too, it highlights the importance of rotating an attack especially across a five Test series on similar pitches to this in Australia. Williamson has 123, New Zealand are 478 ahead and will be looking at bowling to England in the last hour. It is a three hour final session after the morning rain and it could be a painful one for England.
03:16 AM GMT
Get your fix
03:13 AM GMT
Tea on day three
Jacob Bethell bowled 10 balls when Stokes went off injured and he will bowl the final over of this session.
Eight runs from the final over before tea and New Zealand are 274/4, 478 runs ahead. The question is now how much longer will New Zealand keep batting? How many more runs do they think they need?
03:08 AM GMT
OVER 67: NZ 266/4 (Williamson 120 Mitchell 17)
Bashir bowls a long rank hop that Williamson tucks into, pulling him powerfully away for four through square leg.
Williamson then cuts through the point region for two.
Time for one more over before tea.
03:04 AM GMT
OVER 66: NZ 259/4 (Williamson 113 Mitchell 17)
England have a packed offside field to Williamson but he still finds a gap to come through for a single. That is a classical shot from Williamson, playing it late and guiding one behind point.
02:59 AM GMT
OVER 65: NZ 258/4 (Williamson 112 Mitchell 17)
Mitchell sweeps fine off Bashir and substitute fielder Rehan Ahmed cannot cut it off down at fine leg. He then gets out the reverse sweep out and just gets it over point’s head for four more.
02:55 AM GMT
OVER 64: NZ 250/4 (Williamson 112 Mitchell 9)
Williamson drives aerially and it goes just wide of Potts in his follow through. Carse makes a terrific one-handed stop at mid-off.
Mitchell swings hard outside his off stump but misses.
A single into the legside off Mitchell’s bat brings up the New Zealand 250.
02:50 AM GMT
OVER 63: NZ 248/4 (Williamson 111 Mitchell 8)
Bashir is too short and Williamson punches through cover for two.
New Zealand lead by 452 runs.
02:47 AM GMT
OVER 62: NZ 245/4 (Williamson 108 Mitchell 8)
Mitchell flicks Potts off his pads and gets four down to fine leg. There is a leg slip in place for a shot like that but it was wide of Root in that position.
Mitchell then tries to hit Potts down the ground but misses, with the ball not far away from the stumps.
02:43 AM GMT
OVER 61: NZ 241/4 (Williamson 108 Mitchell 4)
Chance for England. Williamson has had some lives in this innings and here is another. He tries to cut Bashir away and it bounces on him. It takes the glover but beats Brook at slip on his left-hand side. Brook was trying to anticipate where it was going to go and moved to his right, only to see it go to his left.
02:39 AM GMT
OVER 60: NZ 239/4 (Williamson 106 Mitchell 4)
Daryl Mitchell is the new man in and second ball smashes Potts over mid-off for four to bring up 2000 Test runs.
02:36 AM GMT
Wicket
Ravindra c Carse b Potts 44 Matthew Potts is back into the attack and breaks the partnership. Ravindra tries to whip one through the legside but only succeeds in getting a leading edge that goes straight to Carse at mid-off. FOW 235/4
02:31 AM GMT
OVER 59: NZ 235/3 (Williamson 106 Ravindra 44)
Ravindra uses his feet to Bashir, who sees him coming. Bashir sends it wider and Ravindra does just enough to get some bat on it.
New Zealand’s lead is now up to 439 runs.
02:28 AM GMT
OVER 58: NZ 232/3 (Williamson 105 Ravindra 42)
What a way to reach another Test hundred! Williamson comes down the ground to Bethell and hits over long-on for six. His love affair with this ground continues. A 33rd Test century.
A few balls later Williamson charges and belts it back down the ground again. This time there is nowhere near as much elevation and it is not far away from Bethell. The 100 partnership is brought up.
Are New Zealand starting to put their foot down, thinking about a declaration soon?
02:23 AM GMT
OVER 57: NZ 220/3 (Williamson 94 Ravindra 41)
Bashir is too short and Ravindra is able to cut away behind square for four. The wheels feel like they are falling off for England here, especially with captain Stokes worryingly limping off.
Ravindra, after a tough start, is now getting into his stride as he sweeps in front of square for beautiful flat six.
This is a real test of England’s mental strength now as the game is just getting further and further away from them and their captain is off the field injured.
02:19 AM GMT
OVER 56: NZ 210/3 (Williamson 94 Ravindra 31)
Ravindra pulls Stokes down the ground and it runs through the mid-on region for four. To make matters worse for England, if they could get any worse, is the sight of Stokes walking off injured. As soon as he bowled that ball, he clutched the back of his leg and has immediately walked off without even thinking of bowling another ball. You could see the pain in his face. He injured his hamstring playing in The Hundred during the English summer.
Jacob Bethell will complete Stokes’ over. Williamson sweeps very fine for a couple.
Worrying development for England. Ben Stokes has limped off clutching the left hamstring he tore last summer. Stokes missed the Sri Lanka series and the first Test in Pakistan with the injury. He was bowling his 37th over of the match. His workload in the first innings - 24 overs - was his highest since the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand in 2022.
02:13 AM GMT
OVER 55: NZ 201/3 (Williamson 91 Ravindra 25)
Williamson looks to cut late but it is more fortunate and finer than he would have liked. It runs away for four down to third man and that takes New Zealand to 200. Williamson is also into the 90s.
02:12 AM GMT
OVER 54: NZ 197/3 (Williamson 87 Ravindra 25)
A single for Ravindra up to wide mid-off takes New Zealand to the 400-run mark.
Pope drops an opportunity to end Williamson’s innings. It is a ball down the legside from Stokes that Williamson gloves but Pope cannot cling onto a tough one-handed catch. Sometimes they stick, sometimes they do not. It goes down as a drop but it was difficult. It does probably sum up England’s Test match.
02:06 AM GMT
OVER 53: NZ 195/3 (Williamson 86 Ravindra 24)
Bashir drops short and Ravindra duly punishes him by pulling away for four. That was an absolute gift from Bashir to Ravindra, who has not found it easy out there.
Ravindra scores seven runs off that over to relieve some of the pressure on him.
02:02 AM GMT
OVER 52: NZ 187/3 (Williamson 85 Ravindra 17)
Ben Stokes has brought himself on to bowl for the first time today, replacing Carse. His first over on day three costs just the one run.
New Zealand’s lead is up 391 runs.
01:53 AM GMT
OVER 51: NZ 186/3 (Williamson 84 Ravindra 17)
Williamson advances at Bashir but gets it all wrong. It loops off the inside edge but like what happened a few overs ago, it just goes over the head of Carse, who is fielding at midwicket. A couple of big slices of fortune for Williamson today, who came back for two.
Time for drinks.
New Zealand are 380 ahead but batting at 2.6 an over as Williamson grinds his way to a hundred and Ravindra tries to cobble together his first score of the series. It is very slow, painstaking stuff and not a good advert for Test cricket. A discussion in the press box earlier raised the point of what would happen were this a four day Test? New Zealand would not be able to bat like this.
01:49 AM GMT
OVER 50: NZ 180/3 (Williamson 80 Ravindra 15)
Carse sent some verbals Ravindra’s way in his last over and is now bowling to him again, banging it in short as some chin music is coming Ravindra’s way.
Ravindra takes a quick single into the offside and Atkinson has an outside chance of running Williamson out but his throw is off target.
A single from Williamson behind square of the legside brings up the 50 partnership between this pair.
01:43 AM GMT
OVER 49: NZ 176/3 (Williamson 79 Ravindra 13)
New Zealand milk four singles from Bashir’s latest over.
Their lead is up to 380 runs.
01:39 AM GMT
OVER 48: NZ 172/3 (Williamson 77 Ravindra 11)
Ravindra has struggled to get going in this innings but he pulls Carse emphatically in front of square for four, which prompts some verbals from Carse towards Ravindra. Carse is probably annoyed that he did not get the decision against Williamson in his previous over.
01:33 AM GMT
OVER 47: NZ 168/3 (Williamson 77 Ravindra 7)
Williamson uses his feet and chips into the legside. Stokes makes an acrobatic effort to try and take the catch at midwicket but it goes just over him for four.
01:30 AM GMT
OVER 46: NZ 163/3 (Williamson 73 Ravindra 6)
Carse gets one to nip back into Williamson and strikes him on the pads. England think they have their man but umpire Adrian Holdstock shakes his head. England review and Williamson is a lucky chap. It is umpire’s call on impact at the top of the stumps and it only needed to be hitting a tiny bit more for that to have been overturned. That looked out in real time and England’s frustration will come from the fact it would have stayed out had they got the call on the field.
01:24 AM GMT
OVER 45: NZ 163/3 (Williamson 73 Ravindra 6)
Bashir sends down a maiden over to Ravindra, who has just six runs from 42 balls.
01:20 AM GMT
OVER 44: NZ 162/3 (Williamson 72 Ravindra 6)
Just the one run comes from a probing Carse over.
01:15 AM GMT
OVER 43: NZ 161/3 (Williamson 71 Ravindra 6)
Ravindra tries to pull Bashir away and an inside edge strikes his body and is not far off rolling onto his stumps.
Bashir then gets one to turn and take Ravindra’s outside edge but it rolls safely down to third man for two.
New Zealand’s lead is up 365 runs.
01:12 AM GMT
OVER 42: NZ 159/3 (Williamson 71 Ravindra 4)
It is a double bowling change as Brydon Carse is on for the first time today and his first ball is on the money to Williamson, who leaves well outside his off stump.
Williamson is lucky this time. He slashes outside his off stump but it flies over backward point for four. England will admit they have not played their best cricket in this game but they also have not had much luck.
Williamson gets a bit more fortune as he is not far off chopping onto his own stumps off the final ball of Carse’s over.
01:07 AM GMT
OVER 41: NZ 155/3 (Williamson 67 Ravindra 4)
Ben Stokes has decided to turn to spin early on day three with Shoaib Bashir brought into the attack. He bowled five overs late on in the day yesterday having not bowled at all in New Zealand’s first innings. A bit of turn on offer for Bashir so a little bit of encouragement for England’s frontline spinner.
Williamson finds a gap through midwicket for a couple.
01:03 AM GMT
OVER 40: NZ 151/3 (Williamson 64 Ravindra 3)
A few balls are keeping just a little low, with Williamson on this occasion just doing enough to get his bat down in time.
A maiden over from Atkinson.
12:59 AM GMT
OVER 39: NZ 151/3 (Williamson 64 Ravindra 3)
Williamson tries to cut a wide delivery from Potts but misses. It was not far away at all from taking the edge and how England would love to see the back of Williamson, who adores this ground.
We have just heard a lovely rendition from the Barmy Army of ‘Summer Nights’ from the film Grease.
Potts struggling to reach 80mph, surprising when you consider he should be the freshest of the attack. They had little time to rest between innings - just 35 overs - but with the lights on and overcast skies, England had to hit New Zealand hard in this session. Instead it has been pretty gentle stuff.
12:55 AM GMT
OVER 38: NZ 150/3 (Williamson 63 Ravindra 3)
Atkinson sends down a maiden over at Ravindra.
12:51 AM GMT
OVER 37: NZ 150/3 (Williamson 63 Ravindra 3)
Potts strays down the legside and Williamson punishes him by tucking it away fine for four. That brings up the New Zealand 150.
These are good bowling conditions but so far this New Zealand pair have not been troubled too much in the first 20 minutes of play on day three.
12:47 AM GMT
OVER 36: NZ 146/3 (Williamson 59 Ravindra 3)
Just the one run from Atkinson’s over, which takes New Zealand’s lead to 350 runs. It already feels like that will be too many for England to chase and New Zealand still have seven wickets remaining.
12:43 AM GMT
OVER 35: NZ 145/3 (Williamson 58 Ravindra 3)
A maiden over from Potts.
12:38 AM GMT
OVER 34: NZ 145/3 (Williamson 58 Ravindra 3)
Gus Atkinson will open from the other end. Ravindra gets his first run of the day by pulling in front of square for a single.
Too much width from Atkinson and Williamson pounces with a second cut four in the first couple of overs of the day.
New Zealand currently lead by 349 runs.
Tough ask this for the England attack today. Pace was down from all of them in the second innings yesterday. England will look back and accept they should have picked Olly Stone to freshen things up. They stuck with Carse because he won them the first two Tests but he looked exhausted by the end of the Wellington Test. Stone has spent the winter on tour without playing.
12:33 AM GMT
OVER 33: NZ 140/3 (Williamson 54 Ravindra 2)
Matthew Potts will bowl the first over on day three and he sends down a good delivery first up to Williamson that goes just past the outside edge.
Williamson gets the first runs of the day as he cuts away for four. A bit of width on offer from Potts and Williamson capitalises on it.
12:29 AM GMT
Ready to go
Ben Stokes leads his man out onto the field. Kane Williamson will resume on 50 and Rachin Ravindra on two. If England are to have any chance of winnings this game, they have to take wickets very quickly.
In typical cricket fashion, there is not a great sense of urgency. The players are ready but obviously we have to wait for the 1.30pm local time (12.30am UK time) to come rather than getting on with it!
12:20 AM GMT
Ten minutes to go
We have had to be patient but finally we are getting close to the start on day three. These should be good conditions to bowl in for England. The problem? New Zealand lead by 340 runs and still have seven wickets left in their second innings.
11:42 PM GMT
Details on today’s schedule
Restart 13:30 local time (00:30 UK time) providing no more rain. Updated session times:
Session two: 13:30 - 16:10 (00:30-03:10)
Tea break: 16:10 - 16:30 (03:10-03:30)
Session three: 16:30 - 19:00 (likely to go to 1930 for slow over rate) (03:30-06:00)
11:17 PM GMT
Restart time
We have a start time in Hamilton if there is no more rain - 1.30pm local time (12.30am UK time). An early lunch now being taken.
11:14 PM GMT
Good news, hopefully!
Covers are coming off at Seddon Park. It is still very grey and threatening but look on the bright side - good bowling conditions for England. We could be on for a few wickets falling today.
11:05 PM GMT
Positive signs?
I am probably going to jinx things but there are not too many covers on at the moment. It will probably start raining again soon! The groundstaff are out there mopping up. The drainage is good in Hamilton and there are not lots of puddles on the outfield like there were at The Gabba a few days ago in the Australia vs India Test match. You would hope common sense would prevail and an early lunch is taken so that the players can get there as soon as possible but when is common sense ever used in cricket?
10:45 PM GMT
County cricket primed for £500m Hundred payday – squandering it would ruin the game
The Hundred sales process is rumbling on – would-be investors are currently lodging bids in the second of three rounds – but it appears ever more likely that English cricket is going to receive a very handsome injection of cash in 2025.
Richard Gould, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, says the sale of the eight franchises will guarantee the survival of the 18 counties for “20-25 years” – it is expected to raise around £500 million.
The ECB has devised a model for the portion (49 per cent) of each team definitely being sold. It spreads the proceeds across the recreational game, the 18 first-class counties and MCC, the proprietors of Lord’s. It has set a rough benchmark figure of £350 million for the eight sets of 49 per cent and some back-of-the-fag-packet maths would mean that each of the 11 non-hosts would receive around £21 million from that. The eight hosts have the opportunity to raise much more cash by selling some or all of the 51 per cent share they are being gifted by the ECB.
10:32 PM GMT
Oh dear!
There was a brief ray of hope at Seddon Park when the covers came off but it is raining again. Very gloomy skies, and it is likely to be on-off rain until tea. Better weather expected later.
10:30 PM GMT
England players furious over widening pay gap in the Hundred
The Professional Cricketers’ Association has escalated its bitter row with the England and Wales Cricket Board, accusing the Hundred of prioritising foreign stars over homegrown talent and expressing “concern” that the tournament’s gender pay gap has widened.
The ECB announced on Thursday that salaries for the Hundred, the month-long white-ball competition that is currently going through a sales process, would rise by 25 per cent across the board for 2025 in an effort to compete with lucrative rival franchise leagues.
However, the details of the salary changes – with top men’s players prioritised – have incensed the cricketers’ body, the PCA, and escalated the battle that is building between the players and the ECB. Last week, Telegraph Sport revealed that a group of players were considering boycotting next year’s Hundred over new regulations that make it more difficult for players to turn out in overseas franchise competitions that they believe amount to a restraint of trade.
Will Macpherson has the full details.
10:23 PM GMT
Stokes must offer more with the bat if England are to regain Ashes
England face leaving 2024 with a record of nine Test wins and eight losses: a reflection of a middling year. Ben Stokes has encapsulated his side’s inconsistency.
Late on day two in Hamilton, Stokes produced a characteristically dogged spell of 10 overs, broken up only by a change of ends. Two late wickets brought some deserved reward, even if they could not conceal the futility of England’s position in the Test.
Still, the sight of Stokes bowling 34 overs across the first two days is heartening for the challenges that lie ahead. For two years, Stokes has been weighed down by knee problems. Now, his bowling is once again providing England with what all Test sides crave: a five-man attack.
For more from our deputy cricket correspondent Tim Wigmore, click here.
10:09 PM GMT
England keeping themselves entertained
10:05 PM GMT
Get your fix
10:00 PM GMT
The thoughts of New Zealand head coach Gary Stead
“I think we were a little light in terms of first-innings runs. The way we fought back yesterday was exceptional. We had a fantastic first hour with Mitch [Santner] and Will [O’Rourke] with the bat and then the way we came out and bowled was exceptional. The guys stuck to their plans well and Will bowled an exceptional spell in Test cricket, probably the best he has bowled and really knocked the stuffing out of England in the middle.
“To get Bethell, Root and Brook in quick time was exceptional. He has a knack of putting batsmen on notice with fantastic speed. He seemed to extract more bounce than others have got out of this pitch Hopefully this rain clears and we can continue.”
09:53 PM GMT
Weather update
Day three will not be getting going for a while yet as there has been some heavy rain in Hamilton this morning. It is still raining but lightly. The forecast suggests we may have rain for a few hours yet but it should clear up.
09:47 PM GMT
New Zealand in the ascendancy
England are under the cosh going into day three in Hamilton after being bowled for a dismal 143 on day two, 204 runs behind New Zealand on first innings. New Zealand finished day two 136/3 in their second innings, leading by a commanding 340 runs with seven wickets left. Matt Henry took four wickets whilst Will O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner both claimed three wickets each. Ben Stokes’ side lost 8-66 after being 77-2, which included losing their last five wickets for just nine runs.
England wrapped up the series with a game to spare after two comprehensive victories in Christchurch and Wellington but are massively on the back foot in this match. Assistant coach Paul Collingwood paid tribute to the performance of O’Rourke in particular, which started England’s collapse from 77/2 to 143 all out.
“I think we have been outperformed here, simple as that,” Collingwood said. “Of course the lads were disappointed, it was not our best day, but one thing I would say is we witnessed something pretty special out there [from O’Rourke], a really hostile spell of Test bowling.
“I am glad I was not the one out there facing it because you do not see those kind of spells every day. Sometimes you have to take your hat off, he was a real standout for them. To get three wickets during that spell has really broken us open. It is going to be pretty difficult from this position, but never say never.
“When you have got a side full of match-winners like we have, it only takes a couple to do something special. There will be belief that we can break a record if that is what we have got to do.”
Zak Crawley has had a miserable series, in particular against Matt Henry, who has got him out on all five occasions in this series. He has scored just 47 runs in five innings but Collingwood has given his backing to Crawley.
“I think he has had a struggle with Henry in particular. He has caused him problems. I know myself, it is awful. You are not just thinking about it when you are waiting to go and bat, you are thinking about it away from the game. But the team will get around Zak and find ways to take his mind off something like that.
“The way he is playing in the nets, he is hitting the ball really well, he is just finding ways of getting out. With Zak, we are not asking him to be consistent, it is about match-winning moments. We know with Zak that once he gets in he can hurt teams. And I am telling you, he is ready to hurt someone.”
Kane Williamson passed 5000 Test runs in New Zealand yesterday and his fantastic record at Seddon Park continued, with his Test average on this ground not far off 100. He will resume on 50 not out with Rachin Ravindra alongside him on two.
If England lose this match, they will have lost the final match in three of their last four Test series. England lost the last game of the series in India back in March before also losing the final games against Sri Lanka at home at the end of the English summer and the decider in Pakistan.
Play on day three is due to get going at 10pm UK time.
