Matt Potts shines as flurry of wickets gives England edge against New Zealand

The third day of this finale was always going to struggle to match the frolics that came 24 hours earlier but a surge from England’s bowlers after tea left the contest delicately poised as they hunt a first series clean sweep in 11 years.

Jonny Bairstow’s sublime 162 from 157 balls and Jamie Overton’s ultimately gut-wrenching 97 from No 8 on his debut helped England stick 360 on the board in the morning for a 31-run first innings lead, only for New Zealand’s top order to shug off their struggles and seemingly cool the jets of the rampant hosts.

The tourists had reached 125 for one at the start of the final session, Tom Latham had rediscovered his touch at the end of a lowkey tour with 72 and Kane Williamson, another yet to fire, was on 37.

The ever-growing beer snake in the Western Terrace was testament to how well the pair had repelled all-comers, even if Latham had earned a life before the interval when Joe Root dropped a simple catch at slip.

But in the first over of the evening session Overton changed the complexion once more, steaming in from the Football Stand End and nicking off Latham with his first ball. As well as presenting Bairstow with a simple catch on his return to wicketkeeping duties – Ben Foakes the absent man with a stiff back – this moment of delight for Overton was the first of four wickets to fall in a rain-affected session.

New Zealand will resume on 168 for five first thing, about 130 runs ahead, with the most steadfast alliance of the series – Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell – once again in situ. Break this pair early and England could even target a four-day finish, such is the speed at which they are looking to score their runs this summer.

If so it would owe plenty to a team performance in the