Ben Duckett's sparkling century and Ben Stokes' four-wicket haul hauled England back into the decisive third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. After the Black Caps reached 317-0 on day one, England's bowlers claimed all 10 wickets for just 121 runs to bowl New Zealand out for 438. Duckett then smashed 113 from just 88 balls while Jacob Bethell remained unbeaten on 74, leaving England 215 runs behind with eight wickets in hand.

Stokes, returning after missing the second Test amid controversy, delivered a tireless eight-over spell that yielded three wickets despite the sweltering conditions. His bowling helped England take six wickets for 77 runs on Friday morning, with Shoaib Bashir claiming two in one over. A nasty blow from Jofra Archer forced Blair Tickner out of the match with concussion, adding to New Zealand's injury woes.

Duckett's hundred marked his first Test century since June and ended a difficult period both professionally and personally. The left-hander had gone 14 innings without a half-century and faced public scrutiny after being filmed in Noosa, prompting his withdrawal from the IPL to rediscover form with Nottinghamshire.

England's resilience on a flat pitch and in extreme heat showed character after a torrid eight months of just two wins in nine matches. This victory would echo their 2022 triumph at the same ground, which sparked the Bazball revolution and could provide temporary relief for the leadership under pressure.