Ben Duckett made his first Test century in a year after Ben Stokes dragged England back into their Rothesay Series decider against New Zealand at a sweltering Trent Bridge.
Duckett had gone 22 innings, including a wretched Ashes over the winter, since a match-winning 149 against India last June but he cast off a low-key start to the summer with a superb 113 off 99 deliveries, having been put down on eight by Henry Nicholls.
A dashing run-a-ball stand of 179 alongside Jacob Bethell, who went to stumps at the end of day two on 74 not out, underpinned England’s 223 for two, a deficit of 215 after New Zealand were all out for 438, having lost all 10 wickets for 121.
Stokes earlier defied heat-sapping conditions in a typically bloody-minded eight-over morning burst that yielded three for 13 – albeit with Daryl Mitchell and Mitch Santner aggrieved at their dismissals.
Having also made the breakthrough on Thursday to end a mammoth 317-run opening stand between centurions Tom Latham and Devon Conway, Stokes claimed four for 70 on a flat pitch to become only the second cricketer to 250 Test wickets to go with 7,000-plus runs after South Africa great Jacques Kallis.
Stokes’ wholehearted efforts underlined his importance on his comeback Test as he impressively led the fightback after a chastening opening day.
Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue were ineffective after New Zealand resumed on 361 for four, having lost two wickets from the previous day’s final two balls, as nightwatcher Will O’Rourke upgraded a previous Test best of five to 19 with Daryl Mitchell also bedding in.
Stokes’ introduction shook up proceedings as he found the edges of both batters in his first two overs. Jamie Smith put down O’Rourke before holding on to a regulation chance off Mitchell, who was on his way for 11 despite being unconvinced by a spike on UltraEdge after England successfully reviewed.
More drama was to follow after O’Rourke lost patience and skied to gully off Stokes, who followed up with a bumper that reared up and seemed to take Santner’s glove before looping to Bethell.
The third umpire hastily agreed with the on-field call of out to give Stokes his 250th Test wicket despite some debate about whether the ball brushed Santner’s armguard or the sweatband of his glove and New Zealand quickly lost their way after lunch.
Shoaib Bashir took a reflex return catch at the second attempt off Nathan Smith before coming round the wicket to trap Tom Blundell in front, having dropped New Zealand’s wicketkeeper in the deep off Archer.
Blair Tickner was struck on the helmet by Archer – and later only able to bowl three overs before being replaced as a concussion substitute by Zak Foulkes – before England’s premier paceman took out last man Ben Sears lbw.
Having spent four and a half sessions in the field, Emilio Gay lasted five balls at the crease before gloving O’Rourke to Blundell down the leg-side and Duckett could have followed in the next over when he nicked Smith to Nicholls, who put down a simple chance at third slip.
Duckett had made just 97 runs in this summer’s first two Tests but he immediately capitalised, crashing Smith’s next ball through the covers for four amid a flurry of early boundaries as he settled alongside Bethell, who soon overhauled his previous first-innings best of 16.
Duckett was strong off front and back foot to the seamers and quick to go to his customary sweeps off left-arm spinner Santner when he was introduced after tea as New Zealand look to dry up the scoring.
New Zealand got the ball changed after 21 overs but there was no slowing down Duckett, who equalled his fastest Test ton off 88 balls with a flick to leg and scurrying through for a single.
A tired prod off Smith took an under-edge on to Duckett’s stumps but Bethell and Joe Root, who ended the day unbeaten on 21, negotiated the final few overs without alarm.
