The Trent Bridge Take, delivered by Ambassador Cruise Line, is our alternative view of proceedings at the Test.
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By all accounts, this was a highly intriguing day of Test cricket.
For the purists, Test matches are a story. A tale, as old as time, allowed to take shape over five days. Sometimes the narrative is thrilling, sometimes it’s soporific, but often, it’s somewhere in the middle.
It can all depend on a lot of things. That’s the beauty of the oldest form of this sport, and as it happened, New Zealand, by virtue of taking a first-innings lead, ended a see-saw day with a slight advantage.
In that sense, the day resembled a complete circle. The tourists, a little bedraggled on day two by Ben Duckett’s swift century, had begun with a triple strike that instantly put England on the back foot.
In a flash, the hosts saw their overnight 223-2 become 234-5, as Nathan Smith claimed the scalps of Joe Root and his common namesake, Jamie Smith.
England were in need of a partnership - but then, in true Test fashion - one came. Therein was another of those old see-saw moments raising its head again.
Harry Brook, as he often has during his England career, countered against the flourishing Kiwi attack to register a half-century in 66 balls with five boundaries.
More to the point, he and his captain Ben Stokes added fifty in just 55 balls for the sixth wicket. Was the tide turning? Had England ridden out the early storm and come through the other side?
Quite simply, perhaps not. When Stokes was dismissed, the home side were still yet to pass 300, and when Brook followed him, they remained over 100 in arrears.
The damage was done by Zak Foulkes, New Zealand’s first Test concussion substitute as this oldest of games continues to evolve.
A late cameo from Gus Atkinson, a man who does have a Test century to his name, allowed England a brief period of optimism, before Will O’Rourke and Foulkes wrapped up proceedings.
New Zealand held a lead of 84 at the end of both sides’ first innings. The hum of the Trent Bridge faithful was one that retained a little of that earlier optimism, but also carried an air of nervy anticipation.
Yet, this day of Test cricket had more still in store. Tom Latham and Devon Conway, having put on a flawless 317 for the first wicket on day one, were parted after just six Jofra Archer deliveries this time.
Latham was the man to go first, pinned lbw for four, and when Conway followed him at the end of the fifth over - Archer’s third, that subdued hum of Trent Bridge had been replaced with delight.
Driven by the Fox Road stand but roared on by all four corners, England struck again when Henry Nicholls was snaffled by Brook in the slips off Shoaib Bashir.
However, a late stand between the enormously talented Rachin Ravindra, who will go to sleep tonight unbeaten on 60, and Daryl Mitchell, who has 26, gave the tourists a strong finish. They closed on 120-3, leading by a healthy 204.
The duo, unparted at stumps, ultimately meant that this was New Zealand’s day. England will now aim to return tomorrow with the target of ensuring that day four is their own.
While the motto of English sport is rather often ‘well, you never know,” it feels accurate in this instance. If Stokes’ men do enjoy a strong day four, it could just spark something.
After all, it’s not like they don’t have history for sparking something special - against this opposition - on this venue.
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