Three observations from the third day of the second test between New Zealand and England.
1. The third-wicket partnership
A 99-run partnership off 87 balls between Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor propelled the test towards an imminent result, regardless of how much rain intervenes on the final two days.
They blazed away in a manner which appeared to be a closer relative to the T20 rather than the test species. The 50-partnership came up in 28 balls.
Taylor (48 off 48 balls) drove his first ball to the boundary through the covers off Stuart Broad. He was dropped at third slip the following over by Gary Ballance on six before shrugging off his legside shackles to pull Ben Stokes' first ball, a long hop, into the stand to go to 30.
Guptill reached 70 off 72 balls, as he did in the first innings at Lord's. Forty of his runs came between gully and cover but his most memorable stroke was the straight six off Moeen Ali to bring up his half-century in 47 balls.
2. The precision of the New Zealand's slip cordon
They seldom share the limelight when snaffling edges but deserved to take a bow in helping dismiss England for 350, leaving the first innings scores level.
Spread in a swoosh formation, wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, Taylor, Mark Craig, Guptill and gully Kane Williamson weathered a miserable Leeds morning flawlessly. Tim Southee slotted in between Craig and Guptill, when he wasn't shaping deliveries away from English batsmen on his way to the team's best figures of four for 83 from 30 overs.
