Hussain: Old ball gives England the advantage | Atherton: 10,000 runs for Root would be ‘fantastic achievement’

England sit on 216-5 heading into day four with the new ball 15 overs away for New Zealand; Joe Root (77no) is just 23 away from hitting 10,000 Test runs and he could reach the milestone in the morning session; watch day four of first Test from 10.15am, Sunday, on Sky Sports Cricket

Last Updated: 04/06/22 9:23pm

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Highlights from day three of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s

Nasser Hussain believes England have a slight advantage over New Zealand heading into day four of the first Test as the Kiwis face the prospect of opening the day’s play with an old ball.

England secured a flurry of wickets in the opening session of day three with the new ball, Stuart Broad with the help of Ollie Pope’s direct-hit run out, taking three in three balls.

However, for Hussain, the likelihood of New Zealand emulating that in the opening session of day four is much lower due to them using a much older, softer ball which those lower down the order can adapt to, the new ball still 15 overs away.

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“It goes one way then it goes the other. The past two days have been a similar pattern, once that ball goes soft then the middle order and the lower order can survive,” said Hussain.

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Stuart Broad produced a magical spell as England claimed three wickets in three balls on day three of the first Test at Lord’s against New Zealand

“The one difference between today and tomorrow is that England had that new ball and New Zealand won’t have it first up tomorrow morning.

“It has been a new-ball pitch and both sides have been struggling with that new ball.

“Once Stokes went, sometimes you think I have got to be here, I have got to be here tomorrow, I am arguably the best Test match batsman in the world at the moment, I will dig in.

“Root said I have got tiring bowlers, an old ball, they have changed it and this one isn’t doing it.

“Right until his last ball, he got a bouncer and he still pulled that away.

“I thought Root was very game aware.

“I would rather be in England’s camp because of the old ball, but New Zealand have shown us they will be there fighting hard until that very last run but I would just rather be in that England camp.”

Hussain is not alone in his belief that England’s task of finding 61 more runs to take a first Test win is helped by the old ball, Michael Atherton agreeing England have gained an advantage in that area.

He said: “Runs have not come easily in this game have they?

“We hadn’t seen a half-century until Tom Blundell scored one yesterday and Daryl Mitchell followed suit.

“Gradually, it seems as though the conditions have slightly eased because we have had another one from Ben Stokes and from Joe Root but it is still a nip and tuck game because of that England tail.

“Matt Potts is in next then Broad, Anderson, Parkinson.

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Alex Lees was clean bowled by Kyle Jamieson during the morning session of the third day of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s

“So whilst I think England have got their noses in front, New Zealand will go to bed knowing that if they get an early wicket tomorrow they are still very much in the game.

“New Zealand’s bowlers will come out refreshed but they are still a significant way away from that new ball and that is to England’s advantage.”

Whilst the focus for England will be victory tomorrow, it could also mark a special moment for Root who needs just 23 more runs to join Alastair Cook on 10,000 runs for his country.

Despite what could be a landmark moment for Root on the horizon, Atherton believes the former England captain will be much more focused on helping his side claim a first Test win.

“He is only going to have one target in his mind tomorrow and that is the winning target,” Atherton said.

“If that 10,000th run happens to come in the process of winning the game, it will be a fantastic achievement.

“If he gets it tomorrow, he will be exactly the same age to the day as Alastair Cook. What a strange coincidence.”

Broad: Stokes reprieve gave us energy | Root pivotal for morning session

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England captain Ben Stokes was saved by a no-ball after chopping on to his own stumps from Colin de Grandhomme on day three of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s

Stuart Broad has revealed how impactful Stokes’ moment of good luck was for his team-mates, as the newly appointed Test captain returned to the crease after Colin de Grandhomme’s wicket was recalled for a no-ball before he limped off with a heel tear that will rule him out of the remainder of the Test.

Stokes then went on to hit a half-century and for Broad and the rest of the England team, it was a moment that revitalised the camp.

“I can’t play that down, there was big energy,” he said of the moment Stokes turned to resume his innings.

“It was (batting coach) Marcus Trescothick who had an earpiece in and when we were all saying ‘oh no’ he just went ‘It’s a no-ball! It’s a no-ball!’.

“We all looked up at the screen and saw Stokesy turning back around and of course that gives the whole changing room a lift.

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Ben Stokes hit two huge sixes off Ajaz Patel on day three of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s

“We’ve been on the flip side of that a few times and it does hurt. It also freed Stokesy up a bit to play how he wanted to play.”

“He’s a situation player, isn’t he? I think it really suits him when the situation is laid out for him and he’s got a target to chase,” said Broad.

“He’s at his best when he’s got the game on the line and that’s always a sign of a world-class player. The way Rooty and Stokesy played after the bit of luck with the no-ball showed the way this team want to go about it.

“Joe is one of the calmest, best ever batsmen for England. The first hour in the morning is going to be crucial and he will be a big part of that.”

You can catch the decisive fourth day of the first Test from 10.15am, Sunday, live on Sky Sports Cricket.