Stokes strikes on England return as New Zealand all out for 438 / Photo: Darren Staples - AFP
Stokes strikes on England return as New Zealand all out for 438
England captain Ben Stokes stepped up his impressive return from international exile with a treble strike that took him to 250 Test wickets before New Zealand's first innings in Nottingham finally came to an end on Friday.
New Zealand, after batting through a morning session of sweltering heat, were dismissed for 438 after lunch on the second day of the third and deciding Test, with the series level at 1-1.
Seam-bowling all-rounder Stokes led England's attack with 4-70 in 21 overs, the bulk of his wickets coming in a Friday morning return of 3-13 in eight overs.
He was back in the side after being omitted from England's 253-run defeat in the second Test for breaking a midnight team curfew, along with team-mate Gus Atkinson, while celebrating at a London nightclub following the first Test victory over the Black Caps.
It was Stokes who had inspired a fightback late on the first day at Trent Bridge by dismissing Devon Conway (157) to end an opening stand on 317 with New Zealand captain Tom Latham (151).
Conway's exit sparked a mini-collapse that saw four wickets fall for 44 runs to leave New Zealand resuming Friday on 361-4.
And it was Stokes, 35, who again led the way for England on Friday.
Will O'Rourke had never scored more than five in his 23 previous Test innings.
But two boundaries in three balls off fast bowler Jofra Archer took him into double figures for the first time.
On a day when temperatures reached 32C, Stokes once more got the breakthrough England needed when Daryl Mitchell (11) was caught behind in his next over.
Stokes struck again when Will O'Rourke, on 19, tried to hit across the line only to sky the England skipper to point.
New Zealand were reduced to 413-7 when a well-directed short-pitched delivery from Stokes left Mitchell Santner in a tangle, with the ball ballooning to gully to give the all-rounder his 250th Test wicket.
Stokes is the only player other than retired South Africa great Jacques Kallis to score more than 7,000 runs, while also taking at least 250 wickets, in Test cricket.
After lunch, off-spinner Shoaib Bashir caught and bowled tailender Nathan Smith and had Tom Blundell lbw for 30 after the wicket-keeper missed a reverse sweep.
Archer ended the innings when he pinned Ben Sears lbw for a golden duck.
That capped a frustrating collapse from New Zealand, who lost their last eight wickets for 77 runs after reaching 361-2.
O.Florez--BT
