England v New Zealand LIVE: Stokes bows out after stunning retirement as hosts bid to avoid defeat in third Test – UK Times

Yowzer! A lifter from Nathan Smith outside off to beat the bat of Emilio Gay. Not sure what the left-hander could have done about that. It bypasses the glove and is very well taken by Tom Blundell behind the stumps.

Another beaut whispers in the ear of Gay’s blocking blade as it again evades it narrowly. It isn’t going to be easy to just survive…

A little flick off the hip brings Emilio Gay the first runs of the day, and a change of angle from Will O’Rourke from around the wicket to over. He extracts an outside edge immediately but soft hands ensure it doesn’t carry to the cordon.

Another leg-side nudge gets Gay moving again, and Joe Root shows signs of intent immediately, throwing the arms at a wide, full ball and carving it over gully for four. Streaky, but more signs of how England are going to go about it.

Blocked calmly into the off side. Test match normality, which surely will not last.

Here is Will O’Rourke, who looks positively nasty to face. A sore finger might not help his mood, either. Emilio Gay on strike with O’Rourke around the wicket.

Ben Stokes watches on from the England balcony as the players make their way out to the strains of Jerusalem and a video package chronicling some of the departing all-rounder’s best moments.

Tickets were free at Trent Bridge today, by the way, a decision announced an hour or so before news of Ben Stokes’ retirement. It’s filling up in Nottingham.

New Zealand were properly in the wars yesterday, with Daryl Mitchell battered and bruised just about everywhere during his innings and not one but two of their seam attack requiring attention for cut fingers. Ben Sears twice took nasty blows to a digit while batting before Will O’Rourke’s jutting hand got in the way of a blast from Ben Stokes’ bat.

Sears managed to bowl one over last night while O’Rourke also seems to be ready to add to the one delivery he sent down at the start of the innings.

“There are a few sore bodies, as you can see,” Mitchell told Sky this morning. “A couple of cut fingers. WOR decided he wanted to palm it to the boundary. Those boys will keep coming and put their bodies on the line to try and win a Test match for their country.”

His performance with the bat was peculiar, but this was one last magical moment for Ben Stokes in England whites, striking with the first ball he bowled after news emerged of his retirement with the captain about to begin the 11th over of his spell.

It was an utterly bizarre passage of play last night as England embarked on their chase, with Ben Stokes emerging to open and swinging at pretty much everything. Jacob Bethell then perhaps showed evidence of a scrambled mind as he shouldered arms to a ball that would have clattered into off stump if not for the intervention of his pad, before Harry Brook threw his wicket away to continue the carnage. Even Joe Root was reverse sweeping the seamers.

This wicket was offering plenty of variable bounce, but surely there was value in keeping wickets in hand for a final-day assault? It did feel a little bit like Stokes and his side burning the house down four years on from its construction here against the same opposition.

It’s the best part of 30 years since New Zealand last won on a Test series on English soil, with Tom Latham’s side close to emulating the achievements of 1999. They had Daryl Mitchell to thank for edging them closer yesterday – what a brave, bloody-minded hundred it was from him yesterday, shutting out the jeers of “boring, boring Mitchell” from the home fans to seemingly bat England out of the Test.