Jofra Archer took two wickets in quick succession to unsettle New Zealand, before Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten half-century steadied the innings and kept England at bay in the final Test at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
New Zealand, level at 1-1 in the three-match series, were reduced to 12 for 2 in their second innings after Archer removed both openers soon after tea on the third day.
By stumps, New Zealand had recovered to 120 for 3, leading by 204 runs, leaving the match finely poised with two days remaining.
Ravindra remained unbeaten on 60, registering his twelfth score of fifty or more in 24 Tests, including five centuries. He shared an unbroken stand of 69 with Daryl Mitchell, who was not out on 26.
Archer returned figures of 2 for 14 from seven overs in hot conditions, troubling the top order with pace and movement.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway, both centurions in the first innings, fell cheaply as New Zealand slipped early in their reply. Latham was dismissed lbw for four, while Conway was struck on the helmet before edging behind for five.
Henry Nicholls also fell for 16, with Harry Brook taking the catch at slip, as New Zealand rebuilt through Ravindra and Mitchell.
Earlier, New Zealand were dismissed for 438 in their first innings, with Nathan Smith taking 4 for 91 and Zak Foulkes claiming 3 for 35, after England had made 354 all out.
England’s innings featured a century from Ben Duckett and a half-century from Harry Brook, but regular wickets kept their total in check.
The match remains evenly balanced heading into the final stages at Trent Bridge.
