James Vince scored his third Test fifty
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
James Vince and Mark Stoneman scored 76 and 60 respectively as they extended England’s lead to 231 on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.
Starting off the day on 192/6, New Zealand added 34 runs to their overnight score before wicketkeeper BJ Watling was clean bowled by James Anderson for 85, which came off 220 balls and included 11 boundaries and a six.
Ish Sodhi fell for one run, while Tim Southee, who started the day unbeaten on 13, went on to make 50 off 48 deliveries, which included eight boundaries and a six.
Tim Southee struck his fourth half-century in Test cricket
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New Zealand ended up being bowled out for 278, which gave England a 29-run lead, when Trent Boult was dismissed by Stuart Broad for 16.
Neil Wagner was left stranded on a 27-ball 24, which included two boundaries and a six.
Broad was the pick of the bowlers with six wickets, while Anderson snapped up four.
With a 29-run lead in hand, England made a disappointing start to their second innings as opener Alastair Cook was caught behind off the bowling of Boult for 14.
Stoneman and Vince made up for the loss of Cook with a 123-run partnership, during which both batsmen surpassed their half-centuries.
Mark Stoneman made his career-best score in the longest format
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
With England cruising, New Zealand tried to do everything in their power to get another breakthrough.
Their persistence finally paid off when Stoneman was caught behind off the bowling of Southee for 60, which came off 139 balls and included six boundaries.
Vince ended up scoring 76 off 128 deliveries, which included 10 boundaries, before he was caught by Ross Taylor at slip off the bowling of Boult.
England captain Joe Root and Dawid Malan managed to amass an unbeaten 37-run stand before bad light brought play to an end for the day.
Root finished on 30 off 66 balls, which included two boundaries, while Malan also struck two boundaries during his 38-ball 19.
Boult was the most successful bowler with two wickets, while Southee claimed one.
England ended day three on 202/3 and will continue batting on Monday at 11:00 local time or 22:00 GMT (the previous day).