Irritated Stokes seems slightly less sure of himself on return to England captaincy

Ben Stokes had a difficult day as captain as New Zealand rattled up 361 for four on a pitch made for batting. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

This all started at this same ground and against this same team. In June 2022, England were 93 for four, chasing 299 to win, and Ben Stokes told Jonny Bairstow to stop worrying and start hitting the ball for six. He did.

Four years, 48 Tests, 26 victories and 301 sixes later, Stokes and his team are fighting to keep it from all ending here. They are 361 runs behind New Zealand with six wickets to take and one batting collapse away from a first defeat in a three-match home series since South Africa in 2012, a loss that cost Andrew Strauss his job as captain.