England captain Stokes achieves test milestone as New Zealand reaches 418-7 at lunch on Day 2

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Captain Ben Stokes bagged his 250th test wicket to help England continue its fightback on Day 2 of the third and series-deciding match against New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Friday.

England was under severe pressure on Day 1 after Tom Latham (151) and Devon Conway (157) had compiled a huge 317-run partnership for New Zealand’s first wicket.

But the home team rallied with four late wickets on Thursday and Stokes made sure the revival was maintained by claiming three more victims as the Kiwis reached lunch on 418-7.

Tom Blundell (18) and Nathan Smith (4) were the not-out batsmen at the interval.

Earlier, nightwatchman Will O’Rourke had a lucky escape when his edge off Stokes bisected wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and first-slip Joe Root.

On another baking hot day, with temperatures forecast to climb to 34 degrees C (93 F), the England captain made the breakthrough by forcing Daryl Mitchell (11) to edge to Smith.

O’Rourke (19) was next to fall when he sliced the ball to Emilio Gay before Stokes took his milestone wicket following a fiery bouncer to Mitchell Santner (4).

Santner called for a DRS review after being given out but TV replays confirmed the ball had flicked his glove after ballooning high to Jacob Bethell in the gully.

Stokes’ first-innings haul of 4-70 has now taken him up to ninth place on England’s all-time list of wicket-takers.

The 35-year-old all-rounder is back in the team along with Gus Atkinson after they were dropped for the second test for disciplinary reasons.

The series is level at 1-1.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket