England are on the brink of defeat by New Zealand after a lethargic second innings batting performance.
The hosts are just 37 runs ahead with only one wicket remaining go into day four.
New Zealand started the day on 229-3, having lost Will Young right at the end of the day on Friday.
Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls then put on just under 70 runs before Taylor nicked behind to James Bracey to give Olly Stone his first wicket of the match on his home ground.
Mark Wood then struck as Nicholls was caught behind by Bracey, which saw New Zealand go into the lunch break at 326-5.
The day’s second session would then entail a flurry of successive wickets to switch the momentum of the game.
Daryl Mitchell, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry fell to Stone, Wood and James Anderson as the Kiwis had collapsed to 353-8.
Tom Blundell, the last recognised batsman, made 34 before Stuart Broad got his man and after Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult initially frustrated England the former was dismissed by Broad after an lbw review.
New Zealand’s innings had come to a close with them 388 all out, and England would be frustrated they could not have got them out sooner, giving the tourists a somewhat strong lead of 85.
England’s innings start terribly
England’s second innings started disastrously as with just the second ball of the innings Rory Burns was walking back to the changing rooms as he edged straight to Tom Latham at slips.
Henry struck again and it was Burns’ fellow opener to depart as he found the edge of Dom Sibley which easily found the hands of Mitchell.
With England 17-2 increased pressure was on Zak Crawley who was already desperate for runs having struggled for consistent scores since his 267 against Pakistan last summer.
After a composed start with Joe Root which saw the hosts through to tea 18-2, Crawley would depart shortly into the final session.
Henry, who looked fired up claimed his third wicket as he trapped the Kent batsman on the pads and the umpire raised his finger.
Crawley reviewed the decision seemingly out of hope after consulting his captain, but he was not to be saved and England were 30-3, 55 behind New Zealand.
Ollie Pope, another man struggling for runs made 23 before he too was struck on the pads, this time by Wagner and was given out again.
Pope thought carefully into reviewing given his team-mate Crawley had just used one up, nevertheless he reviewed it, but to no avail as DRS showed the ball to be just clipping the top of off stump, meaning the umpires decision stood.
England were bang in trouble and needed Dan Lawrence to score big, however he would not do so as he edged behind to Blundell for a duck, England were 58-5.
Another man desperate for runs was Bracey, who had yet to get off to mark in his first two Test innings thus far.
The Gloucestershire man avoided a hat-trick of ducks, but looked uncomfortable at the crease and made just eight runs as Patel’s delivery crashed into his stumps.
England’s hopes wane with Root’s dismissal
By now any hopes of an England win had all but faded, with the hosts now a measly 71-6 and Root had a near-on impossible task to avoid his first home Test series defeat as captain.
Root then departed and with it any brief hope England had left as he thick edged through to Blundell.
Wood showed brief attacking threat before he too was caught behind by Blundell for 29.
Broad then lasted just three balls as he stumps were caressed by Boult, leaving England 121-9 and on the brink of a dismal defeat.
No further wickets were taken in the day’s two remaining overs as England concluded day three on 122-9, just 37 runs ahead.
A dreadful day for the hosts who were totally outclassed by New Zealand, showing why they are in the World Test Championship final.
By Josh Mann
