New Zealand vs England Live Score, 1st Test: Day 3

Nathan Smith's introduction to the bowling attack just before the lunch break proved to be a masterstroke for New Zealand. Making his Test debut, Smith made an immediate impact by claiming two wickets in his maiden over, including the prized scalp of Joe Root. It was a particularly disappointing moment for Root, who was dismissed for a duck in what was his 150th Test match, leaving England in a precarious position at 45/3.

England's openers faced a stern examination as New Zealand's fast bowlers unleashed a masterclass of pace bowling. The partnership of Tim Southee and Matt Henry proved relentless, maintaining constant pressure with their probing lines. Though Ben Duckett weathered the initial storm and gradually found his rhythm, unfurling some elegant shots, the Kiwi pacers consistently troubled him and the other batters with their movement off the surface, repeatedly beating past the outside edge of the bats.

Glenn Phillips and Tim Southee resumed batting duties for New Zealand on day two, looking to build on their overnight score. However, England's pace attack came out at full throttle and made quick work of the remaining wickets, wrapping up the tail within the opening hour of play. The bowlers found a good amount of movement off the pitch, which was largely absent on the first day. Brydon Carse got those two remaining wickets in rapid succession and bundled New Zealand on 348. Glenn Phillips though, managed to get past his half-century and remained unbeaten till the end.

LUNCH, DAY 1! A riveting and breathtaking first session of play has flown by on this second day at Christchurch. Another session that well and truly belongs to the hosts as they manage to pick three important wickets. What set New Zealand's bowlers apart was their superior discipline, maintaining consistent lines and lengths to sustain pressure throughout. This stood in stark contrast to England's pace attack, who struggled to find their rhythm and frequently strayed from their target areas.

Nathan Smith to Joe Root, OUT! DRAGGED ON! Joe Root cannot believe his luck as he couldn't stay for long! But what a dream debut for Nathan Smith as he picks up two important wickets in the very first over of his Test career. Nathan Smith uses the width of the crease and bowls it with a wide angle and hurls it on a good length, around off. It is that nip-backer that comes into the batter sharply off the deck with a bit of bounce on it. Joe Root gets a bit across off to negotiate the bounce and ends up chopping it onto the back thigh pad and then on the stumps. A duck for Joe Root in his 150th Test match and England are reduced to 45/3 now, trailing by 303 more runs. And that will be LUNCH ON DAY 2!

Nathan Smith to Joe Root, Back of a length, on the top of off, Joe Root rides on the bounce and taps it to the off side. Oh, dear! Another No Ball as Nathan Smith has overstepped, again!

Nathan Smith to Joe Root, NO BALL for overstepping! Length ball outside off. Root leaves it alone to the keeper again.

Nathan Smith to Joe Root, Full and outside off. Root leaves it alone to the keeper.

Joe Root is in at number 4.

Is that caught behind? Oh, so the umpire wants to check whether it is a fair delivery. And it is! Nathan Smith just about manages to keep some part of his boot behind the line. OUT!

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Nathan Smith strikes and registers his first Test wicket! A peach of a delivery from the right-arm seamer. Nathan Smith bowls it from around the wickets, on a good length. Lands it just on the off-stump line, and nips away a hint from the batter. Jacob Bethell gets on the back foot and anticipates the ball to jag back into him and ends up playing the wrong line. Goes through the shot inside the line and the ball takes a faint outside edge before carrying through to the keeper. England are 43/2 down now, just at the brink of Lunch.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, At 128.8 kph, Henry bowls a fuller one, an effort ball on off, Jacob Bethell presses forward to defend it but gets a thick inside edge which rolls past the square leg region for a single. Bethell moves into the double figures and England now trial by 305 runs.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Around the wicket now. Good length, angling into the batter on off, Jacob Bethell plays across and knocks it to mid on.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Pitched further up, angling across and outside off, Jacob Bethell shoulders arms at it.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Hard length, angling on off, Jacob Bethell gets on the front foot and drives it straight to cover.

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Touch full, with some extra bit of bounce, on middle, and nipping away to off, Ben Duckett rides on the bounce and plays it with soft hands by tapping it to backward point. Gets a quick single.

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Length ball around off, angling across. Duckett defends it from the crease to mid off.

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! Oh, that wasn't too far from the slip fielder! Hard length on offer from Smith, just outside off. Jacob Bethell squats at it weighing on the back foot and slashes it through with an angled bat. It goes on the bounce to the left of the diving third slip fielder to run away to the deep third fence for a boundary.

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, Nice and full, straight on the stumps, Jacob Bethell responds with a solid front foot defence.

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! First boundary for Bethell! Smith errs in line and angles it back into the batter, on middle and on a good length. Jacob Bethell transfers the weight on the back foot and pulls it through square leg for a boundary.

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, Full and angling into the batter at 136.1 kph. Bethell drives it on the up and firmly to mid on.

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, Fuller length outside off. Bethell gets behind the line and eases it back to the bowler.

Nathan Smith to Jacob Bethell, Absolute beauty from Nathan Smith! Uh, oh, a NO BALL for overstepping! Length ball around off. Bethell is stuck in his crease and looks to play at it but gets beaten on the outside edge. The ball flies just over the off-pole on the way to the keeper.

Nathan Smith to Ben Duckett, Begins from around the stumps and lands it on the back of a length, outside off, with a tinge of inward movement. Ben Duckett rides the bounce and eases it to backward point. Tom Latham from the gully region scoots to the front to stop the ball but fails to collect while bending down. Allows a single to be taken.

The first change in bowling by New Zealand. The debutant Nathan Smith is about to bowl his first over in Test cricket. He replaces Tim Southee.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Tight line and length. On the stumps, on a good length, Bethell leaves it alone and lets it fly over the top of the pegs.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Back of a length on the leg stump. Bethell gets behind the line and taps it back to the bowler.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, An appeal for LBW from the slip fielders but a shake of the head from the umpire. Matt Henry steams from over the stumps, lands it on the fuller length, jagging back in, on middle and leg, Jacob Bethell gets across to flick it to the leg side but plays over the wrong line and gets beaten by the bounce, getting rapped on the thigh pad. 

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Fuller length on the leg stump. Ben Duckett opens the bat face and works it to cover-point for a single.

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Short of a length on the leg stump. Duckett tucks it to square leg.

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Lands on a fuller length, outside off, pushed to cover.

This has been a really good display of bowling from the two Kiwi seamers. Henry and Southee have constantly managed to extract that movement and have beaten past the outside edge on multiple occasions. They have bowled full and have allowed the ball to tail and deviate off the surface. Something which the English seamers failed to do so in their bowling stint early on.

Tim Southee to Jacob Bethell, A bit of tail back into the batter, on middle and leg, Jacob Bethell flicks this full ball straight to mid-wicket.

Tim Southee to Jacob Bethell, Nice and full, across off, left alone by Bethell.

Tim Southee to Jacob Bethell, Absolute ripper of a delivery! Southee bowls it full and lands it just around off, it just holds its shape and moves away from the batter, Jacob Bethell commits on the front foot to defend and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Tim Southee to Jacob Bethell, Pitched outside leg, angling on middle, Jacob Bethell does well to defend it on the up.

Tim Southee to Jacob Bethell, Back of a length, around off, Jacob Bethell gets on the back foot and taps it in front of point.

Tim Southee to Ben Duckett, Nagging length, swinging back in from middle, Ben Duckett gets on the toes and tucks it behind square to deep backward square leg for a single.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Angling into the batter, on a good length, Jacob Bethell gets a bit too across to play at it and plays over the line to get rapped on the body.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Fullish and straight, Jacob Bethell drives it firmly to wide mid off.

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Henry pulls his length back and this has been patted towards cover-point off the back foot for a single.

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Nice reply from Ben Duckett! Touch too full from Henry and Duckett pounces on it. Gets on the top of the ball and cracks drives it hard and past the mid off fielder for a boundary.

Matt Henry to Ben Duckett, Oh, edged but just dropped short of the second slip! This is a thorough examination of the batters, to say the least. Nagging length, nipping away, Ben Duckett hangs his bat away from the body as he plays at it. Gets a thick healthy outside edge that flies and dips just ahead of Tom Latham at the second slip.

Matt Henry to Jacob Bethell, Finally, Bethell is off the mark and gets his first runs in Test cricket. Shares a bit of a smile with his partner. That would surely provide him some relief. Length ball on off. Bethell taps it towards square leg and goes through for a quick single.

Tim Southee to Ben Duckett, Hurls it full and outside off, Ben Duckett prods ahead and drives it through the cover region for a couple of runs.

Tim Southee to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Picture-perfect straight drive! Southee lands it touch fuller in length, tailing back in, on off, Ben Duckett prods forward and gets on top of the ball. Hits it through the line and straight down the ground for a cracking boundary. Lovely weight transfer on the front foot by Duckett. A classy shot.

Tim Southee to Ben Duckett, Nagging length, just outside off, Ben Duckett makes a watchful leave. Good carry to the keeper.

Tim Southee to Ben Duckett, Almost played on! Southee keeps it outside off, gets a bit of inswing on a good length, Ben Duckett goes for a slash through the off-side but inside edges over the stumps to deep fine for a couple.

Tim Southee to Ben Duckett, Angling in, on a fuller length, on off, Ben Duckett brings his bat ahead of the pad and blocks it back to the bowler.

Tim Southee to Ben Duckett, Around the stumps, tailing back in, full in length, Ben Duckett blocks it out to the bowler.