Englands Joe Root celebrates reaching a century during day three. Photo / Getty
Englands Joe Root celebrates reaching a century during day three. Photo / Getty
By Andrew Alderson at Trent Bridge
"Dah, dah-dah, dah-dah-dah-dah, dah-dah-dah-dah, Joe Roo-t."
The Sunday crowd's parody of the Beatles' Hey Jude rang around Trent Bridge as the England number four's 27th test century proved the spine of his team's reply on the third day of the second cricket test against New Zealand.
The occasion presented a dossier on the ebb and flow of the format.
At 473 for five, a deficit of 80, the hosts were striding towards parity at stumps, having amassed 383 runs across the day.
For the Black Caps, Trent Boult proved the most potent member of the bowling attack, particularly coming over the wicket and angling across the right-handers. He returned figures of three for 89, adding the dismissals of Pope and Jonny Bairstow to the unplayable ball which removed Zak Crawley the previous evening.
Boult also contributed to the other individual highlight of an arduous day for the visitors. Michael Bracewell held his off-spinning nerve to collect Ben Stokes (46) as his maiden test wicket. Stokes and Root had taken 13 from the first four balls of Bracewell's third over.
The England captain got greedy in his assault on the fifth. Boult took a steepling catch at deep mid-wicket.
Initially, the visitors were buoyed by the insurance of 553 first innings runs as they attacked Alex Lees and Ollie Pope.
In turn, Lees and Pope drew inspiration from a flattening pitch and the support of a burgeoning audience to post a second-wicket stand of 141.
New Zealand endured a morning of toil. They could only secure one dismissal as England went to lunch at 195 for two.
Lees wafted outside off stump with casual footwork off Matt Henry. The snick saw Daryl Mitchell's first slip-catching mojo return after spilling chances off Lees and Pope on the second day. Lees made his highest test score of 67. His previous best was 31.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway of New Zealand chase the ball during day three of the second test. Photosport
The Black Caps initially had no need for despondency. Balls flew over or wide of the cordon with regularity. Boult had Pope edging a ball short of Mitchell on 57, and tempted Root into parrying a ball on 27 which pinged over the cordon off Tim Southee's hands in the over before lunch.
Gradually, attrition took a toll as Pope and Root flourished.
By the 69th over, as the ball tired, off spinner Michael Bracewell was introduced. In the 76th over Matt Henry was bowling to a beleaguered field with England 301 for two, including a fine leg, long leg, deep square leg, deep mid-wicket and third man. In the 77th over Mitchell threw a bump ball in the air at slip and conceded a single. He then earned a call-up in the 78th over as the quicks rested.
Ollie Pope of England celebrates reaching his century during day three. Photosport
Pope made his second century and advanced beyond his highest test score of 135 not out. Root continued the form which won England the opening match posting his fastest ton off 116 balls - in the 80th over. A French cut off Mitchell marked the milestone. He raised his arms in relief while scampering down the pitch.
For the New Zealanders, the second new ball must have looked like a crown jewel.
The pressure scales tipped in England's direction.
Pope hooked Boult to a diving Henry at fine leg for 145, ending a 187-run third-wicket stand. Bairstow exited for eight after Boult's delivery produced an impressionist painter-like brush with his glove. If the first test was any gauge, New Zealand may regret Will Young dropping Ben Foakes on nine off Tim Southee at deep square leg at 423 for five.
In another potential setback for the Black Caps, Kyle Jamieson suffered lower left back pain in the final session. He did not return to the field after getting assessed by the physiotherapist.
