Summary

Live Reporting

Sam Drury & Mike Peter

  1. Eng 88-1

    Jacob BethellGetty Images

    Sparky from Nathan Smith!

    Jacob Bethell punches back to the New Zealand all-rounder and Smith flings the ball back in the direction of the stumps - missing though, by a fair margin.

    Bethell still has to hit the deck in evasive action, while Tom Blundell has to pull off a big dive to stop the ball going for byes.

    A reproachful look for the bowler from Bethell, who then drives Smith for four through long-off for good measure.

  2. Eng 84-1

    Tim Southee appealsGetty Images

    A couple of singles to get us going after lunch.

    Tim Southee strikes Ben Duckett on the top of the pad with his final ball and appeals, but he's about the only one interested.

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    To me, this England team is going to be a very, very good cricket team. It has a lovely balance, packed with stroke players, and a new ball attack that makes Anderson & Broad look positively pedestrian. All rolled up with an inspiring, optimistic captain, playing positive, enjoyable cricket under a coach who has complete respect from all within the squad, with all players enthusiastically buying into the core value of this cricket team - play positively at all times and enjoy your cricket! They also know that a run of low scores will not see you automatically ejected from the team & squad, as happened in years gone by. Exciting times for England!

    Dean, Cardiff

  4. The players are back out on the field.

    Time for a tasty second session in Wellington.

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    Brilliant morning's play. Let my son James stay up to watch and we were jumping round the lounge with that hat-trick. It’s the first one he’s seen.

    Paul, London

  6. Australia reached 86-1 at close, but their innings was stalled by a couple of comical moments.

    The lights went off for a period, while a man carrying a gigantic beer snake distracted Marnus Labuschagne.

    'What is going on?!' - Australia India Test plunged into darkness

    'Look, look, look!' - fan with beer snake halts play mid-delivery

  7. India were bowled out for 180, and Virat Kohli was one of a number of players to fall in single figures.

    Starc took 6-48 as Australia put themselves in a dominant position.

    Kohli falls for seven as Australia dominate India early

    India struggling as Pant falls to short ball from Cummins

    'Take a bow!' - Starc claims Test best figures of 6-48

  8. While we wait for the players to re-join us in Wellington, we can cast our eyes to Adelaide, where Australia are facing India in the second Test.

    Having lost the first Test in Perth, the home side desperately wanted to get back on track in South Australia, and Mitchell Starc got them on their way when he removed Yashasvi Jaiswal with the first ball of the match.

    'The perfect start!' - Starc traps Jaiswal lbw first ball of second Test

  9. Highest successful run chases in New Zealand

    England currently lead by 237, that's already approaching the five highest run chases in this country.

    • 348-5 by West Indies, Auckland in 1969
    • 324-5 by New Zealand, Lancaster Park in Christchurch in 1994
    • 307-6 by England, Lancaster Park in Christchurch in 1997
    • 285-8 by New Zealand, Hagley Oval in Christchurch in 2023
    • 281-7 by Australia, Hagley Oval in Christchurch in 2024

    The highest chase in Wellington is 277-3 by Pakistan in 2003.

  10. Kieran Parmley
    Cricviz analyst

    PitchViz Bounce Inconsistency (out of 10, higher = more inconsistent):

    Day one, session one: 3.1

    Day one, session two: 2.5

    Day one, session three: 4.2

    Day two, session one: 6.4

    Across 56 Tests in New Zealand since 2008 only one match has had a higher PitchViz Bounce Inconsistency rating in the first session on day two than in this match.

  11. Thanks Sam.

    I've just wolfed down a pre-midnight carbonara and I'm primed for some early hours cricket.

    The players need to take their lunch first though.

  12. What a morning at the Basin Reserve.

    England quickly took out New Zealand's lower-order with Gus Atkinson claiming a superb hat-trick.

    The tourists have since extended their lead to 237 for the loss of just one wicket.

    To go through all of that and take you through the afternoon session, I'll hand you over to Mike Peter.

  13. Lunch - Eng 82-1

    Lead by 237

    Will O'Rourke continues with the field set for some short stuff before lunch.

    Two bumpers duly follow but Ben Duckett is happy to duck them.

    A third is too much for the opener to resist, though, and he flays it down to deep third for a single.

    Jacob Bethell then sways clear of a very well-directed bouncer at the last moment before leaving the next more comfortably.

    That's lunch after a fantastic session for England.

  14. Eng 81-1

    Lead by 236

    Glorious.

    Perfect balance and timing from Jacob Bethell to punch the last ball of the over back down the ground for four.

    So good from the young left-hander.

  15. Eng 76-1

    Duckett 37, Bethell 30

    Wowzers. Tim Southee returns and gets the ball to rear up at Ben Duckett from just back of a length.

    It flies off the shoulder of Duckett's bat and goes just over the stretching Tom Blundell for four.

  16. Eng 72-1

    Lead by 227

    Oh, Jack, does jinxing meaning nothing anymore? For your sake, I hope you're right.

    That said, the TV commentators were talking about New Zealand backing themselves to chase down 400-plus given the time left in the game and the fact the pitch is expected to flatten out.

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    Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett punch glovesGetty Images

    Unless England have an almighty collapse from here, this is an England win in the bag. They only need to get another 180 to give the Kiwis 400 or so, and they won’t want that given their first innings horror show.

    Jack

  18. Eng 69-1

    Lead by 224

    Even the edges are flying to the boundary for England now.

    Jacob Bethell managed it in the last over, now it's Ben Duckett with an attempted pull shot that comes off the top edge and flies over Tom Blundell's head for four.

    Good ball to end the over from Will O'Rourke, drawing a play and miss but - again - no damage done for England.

  19. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket reporter in Wellington

    Have we discussed how much Jacob Bethell sets up like Andrew Strauss? I feel like we should.

  20. Kieran Parmley
    Cricviz analyst

    Kane Williamson's success in home Tests is often credited for playing the ball late against the quicks.

    In this series Jacob Bethell is the only England batter with an average interception point as deep in their crease as Williamson - both 1.71 metres from the stumps.