Jamieson puts New Zealand on top as England chase 277 run target

LONDON :New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson grabbed three wickets as England struggled to 99-4 at tea as the visitors took the upper hand on the third day of the first test at Lords on Saturday.

They are six wickets from victory with England still needing 178 runs to win in an intriguing battle after being set a target of 277.

England’s new captain Ben Stokes (15) and predecessor Joe Root (23) were not out at the wicket at the end of the second session after the first four wickets of their second innings fell for 69 runs.

It might have been five wickets when Stokes, on his 31st birthday, was bowled by Colin de Grandhomme for one run only to be called back to the crease after a belated no ball call from the third umpire in a let-off that was greeted by an approving roar from the partisan crowd.

Alex Lees had made 20 when he was bowled by Jamieson before lunch, and Zak Crawley (9), Ollie Pope (10) and Jonny Bairstow (16) followed as the tall New Zealand seamer returned figures of 24-3 off nine overs.

England will look to Root and Stokes to put together a partnership in the last session of the day and give them a chance to turn the momentum back their way after their bowlers dominated the first session, taking six wickets to dismiss New Zealand for 285 runs in their second innings after they resumed on 236-4 overnight.

Daryl Mitchell reached his century in the first over of the day, but Tom Blundell fell agonisingly short on 96 as Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad took the second new ball and swept through the tourists’ batting order.

There were three wickets in a single over from Broad, an effective team hat-trick that started when Mitchell edged to Ben Foakes off Broad for 108 as his partnership with Blundell fell five runs shy of 200