England captain Ben Stokes's return to the side was marred by a day of punishment as New Zealand dominated the hosts at Trent Bridge. The tourists posted 361-4 in sweltering heat, with Devon Conway and Tom Latham sharing a record opening partnership for New Zealand against England, scoring 317 runs. Conway and Latham's impressive partnership stood out, with the duo putting on a show of batting prowess in draining temperatures.
Stokes, back to lead the side after a turbulent fortnight, lost a crucial toss and saw the tourists post a formidable total. Despite a rousing welcome from the Nottingham public, his comeback threatened to turn into a nightmare as the Kiwi openers flogged the bowlers. The closest England came to a concrete chance came midway through the afternoon session when Latham, on 71, was hit in front of the stumps by Shoaib Bashir. However, Stokes opted not to call for DRS, allowing Latham to continue.
The wheels came off in the early evening, with costly overs from Bashir and Tongue adding 25 to the total in just two overs. A late gift from Rachin Ravindra and a well-timed catch from Jofra Archer behind saw the hosts smile after a day of toil. England's wicketkeeper Jamie Smith dropped a regulation catch, adding to a list of dropped catches that now tallies double figures in the series.
The match is now finely poised, with New Zealand's wicket count reduced to 4-361. The hosts will look to build on their late fightback and create a solid foundation for the remainder of the series.
England's chances of winning the series have been boosted by the late fightback, but they will need to be more clinical in their approach if they are to overcome the tourists. The match will resume on day two, with England looking to build on their momentum and push for a significant total.