England have made a perfect start to the series-deciding third Test against New Zealand, thanks to a thrilling innings from Ben Duckett. The left-hander made 113 from 99 balls, his seventh Test century, to give England the edge they need to take control of the match.
The Trent Bridge crowd was treated to a very entertaining performance from Duckett, who scored at a rate of just over 100 runs per 100 balls. His innings was littered with shots of incredible beauty, including a number of sixes that flew off the bat.
New Zealand had posted 438 in their first innings, a total that had left England facing a significant mountain to climb. However, Duckett's performance has given his team a great platform to respond, and they will be hoping to build on this momentum in the second innings.
Duckett's century was his first in Test cricket since 2016, and it will be a massive boost to his confidence. The 28-year-old has been in excellent form for Nottinghamshire in the county game, and this performance will only add to his growing reputation as one of the best batsmen in the country.
Captain Ben Stokes was full of praise for Duckett after the match, saying: 'It will mean so much to him, and it's a great performance to get the team off to a good start.'