Duckett punishes New Zealand after Stokes sparks England fightback in third Test

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/UJC5mtAU/"]England[/a] were 223-2 at stumps [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/england-UJC5mtAU/new-zealand-G6PWlrQB/?mid=hd4ZbmDb"]on Friday's second day[/a], 215 runs behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/G6PWlrQB/"]New Zealand[/a]'s first-innings 438, with the three-match series level at 1-1.[/p][p]Opening batsman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duckett-ben/hOqPZak4/"]Duckett[/a] made 113 to the delight of his sun-drenched Nottinghamshire home crowd.[/p][p]Together with fellow left-hander [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bethell-jacob/AgfFyxtl/"]Bethell[/a] (74 not out), he shared a rapid second-wicket stand of 179 in 30 overs after Emilio Gay fell for a duck.[/p][p]Duckett's seventh hundred in 46 Tests was also his first since he reached three figures against India in Leeds on June 20 last year.[/p][p]"It meant a lot," the 31-year-old Duckett told Sky Sports after stumps. [b]"It's been a bit of a journey since last summer... I was quite emotional."[/b][/p][p]England's 8-1 should have become 8-2 when Duckett edged Nathan Smith, only for Henry Nicholls to drop a seemingly routine chance at third slip.[/p][p][b]"I nicked off on eight," [/b]Duckett said.[/p][p][b]"On another day I'd have been back in the hut (out), but I knew that when that happened it could have been my day,"[/b] he added.[/p][embed guid="d93a4a13-4388-43af-a250-21f20bccf004" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFy7d3zcT9w&pp=ygUPZW5nbGFuZCBjcmlja2V0" social-type="youtube" /][h2]Stokes stands up with the ball again[/h2][p]England were also indebted to Stokes's latest inspirational bowling display as the Black Caps, set for a total in excess of 500 at 361-2, lost their last eight wickets for 77 runs.[/p][p][b]The seamer led England's attack with 4-70 in 21 overs, a return that took him to 250 Test wickets, with the bulk of Stokes's success coming in a Friday-morning burst of 3-13 in eight overs.[/b][/p][p]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.[/p][p]It was Stokes who had inspired an England recovery late on Thursday by dismissing Devon Conway (157) to end an opening partnership of 317 with New Zealand captain Tom Latham (151).[/p][p]As temperatures reached a sweltering 36C, Stokes once more got the breakthrough England needed on Friday when he had Daryl Mitchell (11) caught behind.[/p][p]Stokes, gaining movement beyond the rest of his attack, struck again when nightwatchman Will O'Rourke (19) skyed to point.[/p][p]New Zealand were reduced to 413-7 when Stokes's well-directed bouncer left Mitchell Santner in a tangle, the ball ballooning to gully to give the all-rounder his 250th Test wicket.[/p][p][b]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.[/b][/p][embed guid="ff4cef9f-dd67-4056-ad7c-5c5d6b1774c5" url="https://x.com/englandcricket/status/2070484381030809713" social-type="twitter" /][p]New Zealand, without the injured Matt Henry, who took 11 wickets in the second Test at the Oval and the in-form Kyle Jamieson, rested as a fitness precaution following back trouble, toiled in soaring heat just as England had done before them.[/p][p]The Black Caps suffered further disruption when Blair Tickner, hit on the helmet by fast bowler Archer while batting, only managed three overs before being ruled out with concussion.[/p][p][b]Tickner was replaced by fellow paceman Zak Foulkes, New Zealand's first concussion substitute in Tests.[/b][/p][embed guid="e9aaf500-9554-4eca-a350-daeba4a9a984" url="https://x.com/BLACKCAPS/status/2070541237073990130" social-type="twitter" /][p]Duckett square-drove Smith for four the ball after he was dropped and seized on anything loose from returning left-arm spinner Santner, whose eight wicketless overs cost an expensive 55 runs.[/p][p]His pulled four off fast bowler O'Rourke took him to 98 before a quick single completed an 88-ball century, including 18 boundaries, with the often reserved Duckett punching the air in delight.[/p][p]Duckett was out shortly afterwards when he dragged on to Smith, but by then England were 187-2.[/p][p]He was brilliantly supported by Bethell, who arrived in Nottingham averaging a woeful 8.75 in the first innings of a Test match.[/p][p]The 22-year-old made a mockery of that statistic during a 60-ball fifty featuring eight fours as he too thrived in ideal batting conditions.[/p]