New Zealand look to be in control of the second Test against England at Trent Bridge after Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell made the hosts pay for their failure to hold on to their catches, putting on an unbeaten 149-run partnership to push their side up 318-4 at the close.
After winning the toss and deciding to bowl first, England failed to make early inroads with the new ball as Tom Latham and Will Young got the visitors off to an electric start. Together, they put on 84 runs for the first wicket before England skipper Ben Stokes made the all-important breakthrough.
Young was the first to go, getting caught at slip for 46 off Stokes, before James Anderson removed Latham for 26 just one ball later. Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls then staged an important partnership for the third wicket, adding 77 to New Zealand's total.
However, Stokes once again made the breakthrough for England, producing a beauty to get Nicholls caught behind for 30. Conway then departed just three overs later, with Anderson getting him caught behind for 46.
Mitchell and Blundell, who shared an excellent 195-run partnership in New Zealand's second innings at Lord's, then looked to pick up where they left off. The pair both scored unbeaten half-centuries as they pushed New Zealand up to 318-4 at the close of play.
Mitchell led the way with 81 not out, while Blundell finished on 67 not out. And, much like they did at Lord's, they will both resume their innings tomorrow looking to reach three figures.
Here are six talking points from the day's play...
Williamson's absence
The evening before the Test began, New Zealand were hit with a major setback after it was announced that their captain Kane Williamson had contracted Covid-19 and would miss the match. Along with his role as skipper, Williamson is New Zealand's most important batter, although not in great form at the moment.
As a result, Henry Nicholls returned to the side after recovering from a calf injury and Latham was handed the captaincy. Due to Williamson's recent struggles with an elbow problem, Latham has now skippered New Zealand in six of their last 7 Tests and former Kiwi bowler Simon Doull has suggested Williamson should hand the captaincy over to Latham permanently after this series ends.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Doull said: "If Kane Williamson is fit to play and captain the side in the third Test, it might be for the last time in Test cricket. I just think it is time for Tom Latham to take over this Test match side. Kane has done it for long enough, I just want him to be the best batsman New Zealand have ever had - and he will be.
"It hurts me to see him going through what he is going through at the moment, form wise. He is such a quality player and a quality guy. I see Tom Latham as our future Test match captain just to relieve some of that pressure."
New Zealand's fast start
After losing the toss and getting put in to bat, New Zealand got off to an excellent start thanks to openers Latham and Young. The pair were positive against the new ball and posted an important 84-run opening partnership after failing in both innings at Lord's.
In the morning session, New Zealand struck 20 boundaries off 26 overs and scored at a run-rate of 4.15 to reach 108-2 at the break. Together, Latham and Young put on the highest opening stand in a Test match at Trent Bridge since 2005.
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, former New Zealand captain Jeremy Coney said: "It's been a good first hour from New Zealand having been asked to bat. There's not been as much swing or movement off the seam.
"There's been some bounce. But New Zealand have been able to negotiate it so far. There haven't been too many demons. We've seen some good strokes from the New Zealand openers, who have got good value for their shots."
England's back-to-back wickets
Despite New Zealand's fast start, England were able to drag themselves back into the contest with back-to-back wickets shortly before the lunch break. First, Stokes got Young caught at slip for 47 off the last ball of his second over.
Anderson then got Latham caught at midwicket for 26 off the first ball of his seventh over to completely change the match situation. "The first wicket was a decent ball, that [the second wicket] is just a bit of fortune," former England captain Michael Vaughan said on BBC Test Match Special.
"It's not a bad catch from Matthew Potts diving to his right, but it just sat up for Latham to whack it. It's a funny game cricket, isn't it?"
Stokes' impact with the ball
While the majority of his most memorable moments in an England shirt have come with bat in hand, Stokes remains a quality bowler and his importance to the side as fourth seamer was underlined on day one at Trent Bridge. After New Zealand's openers put on 84 for the first wicket, it was Stokes who got the breakthrough when he dismissed Young.
And when Conway and Nicholls added 77 for the third wicket, Stokes once again broke the partnership when he removed Nicholls. In the morning session, Stokes found more swing than any other England seamer and his impact was telling.
Former England bowler Darren Gough believes Stokes is underrated with the ball, telling Sky Sports: "Stokes is a leader and I hope we get to see him bowl a little bit more. As a captain, I think he will go under-bowled but when it is flat he is usually the one who strikes."
Mitchell and Blundell star again
After scoring a brilliant 108 in the second innings at Lord's, Mitchell once again led the way for New Zealand and Trent Bridge. Although every member of their top six got a start, Mitchell was the first to pass fifty and ended the day on 81 not out.
Blundell once again provided him with crucial support as the pair put on an unbeaten partnership worth 149. Remarkably, Mitchell may not even have been picked for the first Test had Nicholls not been ruled out with calf injury, but he and Blundell have been key for New Zealand.
England's struggles in the field
After an excellent display in the field in the first Test, England failed to back that up in the second as at least four clear chances went begging. First, Crawley at second slip dived across Root at first slip and shelled an opportunity to remove Nicholls for 17.
Root then dropped what appeared to be a regulation chance to remove Mitchell for just three, before missing a more difficult opportunity to send Blundell packing for 47. Things only got worse for England when Blundell edged a chance between second and third slip, with Broad left furious when neither Crawley or Jonny Bairstow made and attempt to catch it.
"England as a collective have not fielded well," former England captain Michael Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special. "Not just the dropped catches, but diving over few and others going through their hands.
"England were magnificent at Lord's but today it was like putting an old sweater. The team of the last two years is back."
