San Francisco Frontiers - Stokes strikes on England return before Duckett runs riot against New Zealand

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Stokes strikes on England return before Duckett runs riot against New Zealand

SPORTS 26.06.2026

England captain Ben Stokes stepped up his impressive return to the side by reaching 250 Test wickets before Ben Duckett made New Zealand pay for dropping him with a quickfire fifty on Friday.

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New Zealand were dismissed for 438 after lunch on the second day of the third and deciding Test in Nottingham, with the series level at 1-1.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Stokes led England's attack with 4-70 in 21 overs, the bulk of his wickets coming in a Friday-morning burst of 3-13 in eight overs at Trent Bridge.

Early in England's first innings reply, New Zealand fast bowler Will O'Rourke had Emilio Gay caught behind down the leg-side for a duck to leave the hosts on 8-1.

And England were still on eight when Gay's fellow opener Duckett nicked Nathan Smith, only for Henry Nicholls to make a horrible mess of a seemingly routine chance at third slip.

Duckett drilled the very next ball through the covers for four, one of 10 boundaries he struck in a fifty completed in just 40 balls.

England were 73-1 at tea, with Duckett 52 not out and Jacob Bethell unbeaten on 16.

Stokes was back in the side after being omitted from England's 253-run defeat in the second Test for breaking a midnight curfew, along with team-mate Gus Atkinson, while celebrating at a London nightclub following the first-Test win over New Zealand.

It was Stokes who had inspired a fightback late on the first day at Trent Bridge by dismissing Devon Conway (157) to end an opening stand on 317 with New Zealand captain Tom Latham (151).

On a day when temperatures reached a sweltering 32C, Stokes once more got the breakthrough England needed when Daryl Mitchell (11) was caught behind in his next over.

Stokes struck again when O'Rourke skyed the England skipper to point.

New Zealand were reduced to 413-7 when a well-directed short-pitched delivery from Stokes left Mitchell Santner in a tangle, with the ball ballooning to gully to give the all-rounder his 250th Test wicket.

Stokes is the only player other than retired South Africa great Jacques Kallis to score more than 7,000 runs, while also taking at least 250 wickets, in Test cricket.

After lunch, off-spinner Shoaib Bashir caught and bowled Smith and had Tom Blundell lbw for 30 after the wicket-keeper missed a reverse sweep.

Jofra Archer ended the innings when he pinned Ben Sears lbw for a golden duck.

That capped a frustrating collapse from New Zealand, who lost their last eight wickets for 77 runs after reaching 361-2.

D.Parker--SFF