Ravindra’s 60 pushes New Zealand 204 ahead of England at Trent Bridge

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Rachin Ravindra’s latest half-century lifted New Zealand into a commanding 204-run lead against England after three days of the series-deciding Trent Bridge test on Saturday.

New Zealand bowled out England by tea for 354 for another big first-innings lead of 84 runs.

The Black Caps turned that into 204 after reaching stumps on 120-3 with seven wickets and two days in hand on a pitch becoming increasingly dicey.

Ravindra was 60 not out with Daryl Mitchell beside him on 26.

Ravindra walked in in the fifth over of the second innings when New Zealand had lost both openers with only 12 runs on the board. He counterattacked with Henry Nicholls and continued with Mitchell for his second fifty in two tests following 76 at The Oval last week.

The fast Jofra Archer removed New Zealand opening batters Tom Latham in the first over and Devon Conway in the fifth. The pair combined for a staggering 317-run opening stand on Thursday but made only 4 this time.

Archer finished his opening five-over salvo with 2-12. He returned before the close and asked wicketkeeper Jamie Smith to stand up to the stumps like Tom Blundell has been doing effectively for New Zealand. But with Smith the Kiwis were unfazed.

England began the day on 223-2 on the back of Ben Duckett’s 113 on Friday, and was shaken by losing set batters Joe Root and Jacob Bethell in the first six overs, three wickets in the first hour, and four wickets in the session.

Root on 21 was trapped by a Nathan Smith in-swinger, Bethell departed for 74 when he edged Will O’Rourke to second slip, and Jamie Smith was snapped up low down at first slip by Mitchell off namesake Smith on 1.

Nathan Smith suffered Stokes being dropped on 1 but the captain’s wicket went to Zac Foulkes, the Friday concussion substitute for Blair Tickner. Another sharp in-swinger did in for Stokes on 15.

New Zealand finally reached the tail which Harry Brook shepherded across the lunch interval with his third fifty in all three tests in the series.

But Brook was out soon after on 58, his off stump clipped by Foulkes at 322-7.

The tail added only 32 more runs as Nathan Smith collected 4-91 and O’Rourke and Foulkes took three wickets each.

England lost its last eight wickets for 130 runs and conceded an 84-run lead similar to the 100-run lead the Kiwis earned at The Oval. They beat England by 253 runs to level the series.

The signs on Saturday were not good for another England fourth-innings chase as the deteriorating pitch gave the seamers snorters off a good length along with lingering movement.

Archer made sure Latham and Conway wouldn’t have a second major impact at Trent Bridge.

Gus Atkinson got the ball replaced in the 11th over and Henry Nicholls to nick off on 16. Atkinson greeted Mitchell with blows to his shoulder and ribs. Mitchell also took a hit on the fingers from Archer.

Ravindra whipped Stokes through midwicket for his fifty off 81 balls and extended the control the seamers grabbed back off England in the morning.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Ravindra's 60 pushes New Zealand 204 ahead of England at Trent Bridge | iNFOnews.ca
England’s Ben Stokes, left, is bowled out by New Zealand’s Zak Foulkes, during day three of the Third Test cricket match between England and New Zealand, in Nottingham, England, Saturday June 27, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Ravindra's 60 pushes New Zealand 204 ahead of England at Trent Bridge | iNFOnews.ca
New Zealand’s Will O’Rourke, right, celebrates the wicket of England’s Jacob Bethell after being caught out by New Zealand’s Tom Latham, during day three of the Third Test cricket match between England and New Zealand, in Nottingham, England, Saturday June 27, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Ravindra's 60 pushes New Zealand 204 ahead of England at Trent Bridge | iNFOnews.ca
England’s Joe Root, center right, reacts after being bowled out by New Zealand’s Nathan Smith via lbw during day three of the Third Test cricket match between England and New Zealand, in Nottingham, England, Saturday June 27, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

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