Hussain: Old ball gives England the advantage | Atherton: 10,000 runs for Root would be 'fantastic achievement'

Nasser Hussain believes England have a slight advantage over New Zealand heading into day four of the first Test as the Kiwis face the prospect of opening the day's play with an old ball.

England secured a flurry of wickets in the opening session of day three with the new ball, Stuart Broad with the help of Ollie Pope's direct-hit run out, taking three in three balls.

However, for Hussain, the likelihood of New Zealand emulating that in the opening session of day four is much lower due to them using a much older, softer ball which those lower down the order can adapt to, the new ball still 15 overs away.

"It goes one way then it goes the other. The past two days have been a similar pattern, once that ball goes soft then the middle order and the lower order can survive," said Hussain.

"The one difference between today and tomorrow is that England had that new ball and New Zealand won't have it first up tomorrow morning.

"It has been a new-ball pitch and both sides have been struggling with that new ball.

"Once Stokes went, sometimes you think I have got to be here, I have got to be here tomorrow, I am arguably the best Test match batsman in the world at the moment, I will dig in.

"Root said I have got tiring bowlers, an old ball, they have changed it and this one isn't doing it.

"Right until his last ball, he got a bouncer and he still pulled that away.

"I thought Root was very game aware.

"I would rather be in England's camp because of the old ball, but New Zealand have shown us they will be there fighting hard until that very last run but I would just rather be in that England camp."

Hussain is not alone in his belief that England's task of finding 61 more runs to take a first Test win is helped by the old ball,