Stuart Broad described the opening hour and a half of the third day of the opening Test, in which England broke the 195-run partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell and ripped through New Zealand’s lower order, as “absolute dreamworld – couldn’t have done any better” – and his side know that should they start the fourth day in similar style it will almost certainly end in victory.
England stand 61 runs from securing a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, with five wickets in hand, a second new ball still 15 overs away and Joe Root, unbeaten on 77, once again in compelling form. “It would cap off a fantastic Test match,” Broad said. “It’s up to us as a group of players to do everything we can to get over the line, and it would be very special. I’ve got a really good feeling about tomorrow.”
