Nathan Smith’s four-wicket haul and Rachin Ravindra’s blazing knock put New Zealand ahead against England on Day 3 of the third Test

An action-packed Day 3 at Trent Bridge has put New Zealand firmly in the driver’s seat of the third Test against England in Nottingham. After establishing a healthy first-innings total of 438, the Black Caps capitalised on a dramatic England collapse before building a commanding 204-run lead by stumps.

The match, which commenced on June 25, 2026, has evolved into a classic battle of attrition, but New Zealand’s disciplined execution across all three sessions on Saturday has given them total control of this ENG vs NZ encounter.

Nathan Smith rips through England batting line-up on Day 3

Resuming the day at a comfortable 223/2, England looked poised to threaten New Zealand’s massive first-innings score. Overnight batter Jacob Bethell and Joe Root aimed to anchor the innings, but the visitors had other plans. Kiwi pacer Nathan Smith turned the game on its head with an exceptional exhibition of swing and seam bowling.

Smith broke the crucial resistance early by trapping the legendary Root leg-before-action for 21. That breakthrough triggered a major slide. Bethell fell shortly after for a well-made 74, caught by Tom Latham off Will O’Rourke. While Harry Brook provided a counter-attacking 58 off 80 deliveries to guide England past the 300-mark, Smith continued to cause havoc from the other end.

He tore through the middle and lower order, dismissing Jamie Smith for 11 and later returning to clean up Jofra Archer for 15. Supported beautifully by Zak Foulkes (3/35) and O’Rourke (3/53), Smith finished with stellar figures of 4 for 91 in his 23 overs. England’s aggressive approach collapsed under the relentless pressure, as they lost their final eight wickets for just 131 runs, bundling out for 354 just before the tea break.

Also READ: Ben Stokes’ 4-fer and Ben Duckett’s century help England roar back after New Zealand’s collapse on Day 2 of third Test

Rachin Ravindra ends the day on a high against England

With an 84-run first-innings cushion, New Zealand’s second essay started in disastrous fashion. Jofra Archer roared to life under the cloudy Nottingham skies, removing skipper Tom Latham for 4 and Devon Conway for 5 in quick succession. When Gus Atkinson dismissed Henry Nicholls for 16, the Black Caps were reeling at 51/3, and England sensed an opening to claw their way back into the Test match.

However, young batting sensation Rachin Ravindra stepped up to steady the ship. Exhibiting excellent composure, Ravindra absorbed the early hostility from the English quicks before playing some breathtaking strokes. He found an able ally in the experienced Daryl Mitchell, and together, the duo methodically defused England’s bowling attack.

Ravindra brought up a brilliant half-century off 81 balls, hitting 8 crisp boundaries along the way. By the time the umpires called stumps on Day 3, New Zealand had reached 120/3 after 35 overs. Ravindra remained unbeaten on a classy 60* off 90 balls, while Mitchell offered solid support with 26*. Their unbroken 69-run partnership has pushed the overall lead to 204 runs, leaving England with a massive mountain to climb over the final two days.