New Zealand fight back after being forced to follow-on

After being bowled out for 209 in the first innings, a 149-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Tom Latham frustrated England's bowlers. While England picked up three wickets in the final session, New Zealand trail by just 24 runs

Wellington (day three of five): England 435-8d, New Zealand 209 & 202-3 (f/o) - New Zealand trail by 24 runs with seven second-innings wickets in hand

The second Test in Wellington is nicely poised heading into day four after New Zealand fought back from being forced to follow on.

Resuming on 138 for 7, the hosts were bowled out for 209 early on day three before a 149-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Tom Latham helped New Zealand chip away at England's lead and caused headaches for Ben Stokes.

Three wickets in the final session restored England's swagger but Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls made it to stumps without further incident and New Zealand now trail by just 24 runs.

New Zealand had the best of the first two sessions, beginning with a counter-attacking half-century from Tim Southee, who put England to the sword for the opening 40 minutes of play.

Enjoying himself against the bowling of Ollie Robinson and Jack Leach, the skipper dispatched half a dozen or so boundaries to bring up his sixth Test half-century – and first since November 2018 – off 39 balls.

^{Tim Southee took the game to England's bowlers early on [Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images]}

^{Stuart Broad wrapped up the first innings with three wickets [Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images]}

With New Zealand closing in on the 200-mark and knocking 60 quick runs of England's lead, Stokes turned to Stuart Broad for a breakthrough and the bowler delivered with his third ball of the day to halt Southee and Tom Blundell's 98-run stand in its tracks.

He should have sent Southee packing with his second delivery, only for Leach to drop a catch on the boundary, but Zak Crawley made no mistake at midwicket when presented with a skied top edge.

Broad then accounted for Blundell and Matt Henry to finish the innings with three wickets in three overs: New Zealand all out for 209 and trailing by 226.

However, in New Zealand's second innings, England were frustrated by openers Conway and Latham, who batted with grit and discipline to reach lunch at 40 for 0 and 128 for 0 at tea.

Latham, who became just the seventh New Zealander to score 5,000 Test runs, reached his half-century off 124 balls in the 41st over and was beginning to tick as tea approached. Conway, meanwhile, brought up his own half-century off 121 deliveries in the 42nd over.

^{Jack Leach picked up two wickets in the final session [Phil Walter/Getty Images]}

^{Kane Williamson saw his side safely to stumps with seven wickets in hand [Phil Walter/Getty Images]}

James Anderson was the most threatening of England's bowlers, challenging the stumps and getting a couple of edges which didn't carry, but even he couldn't disrupt Conway and Latham, and their stubborn resistance forced Stokes to ring the changes with the ball either side of tea, first introducing Joe Root's spin and then bringing himself on to open the bowling in the final session .

His two-over spell yielded both runs and stern words from the umpire after a flurry of head-high no balls, but the breakthrough was just around the corner.

It was Leach who came up with the goods, once again benefitting from a smart piece of fielding from Ollie Pope to remove Conway for 61 (155).

Root then accounted for Latham, trapped lbw for 83 (172), before Leach picked up his second of the day, bowling Will Young with a fine delivery which gripped in the surface.

However, despite Leach's best efforts, the defences of Williamson (25 off 81) and Nicholls (18 off 70) could not be breached.