The third day of the first test of the summer against New Zealand began with New Zealand 153-4, still 79 behind England. Stuart Broad struck immediately, Brendon McCullum caught behind by Matt Prior 2nd ball for two who blew a review in the process. New Zealand's hopes remained with Kane Williamson who reached a battling 50 from 158 balls, BJ Watling had some luck, dropped by Jonathan Trott at 3rd slip, then surviving an LBW review off Broad. But Williamson fell next over, strangled down the leg side off Anderson for 60. Steve Finn came into the attack and Tim Southee greeted him with a four over the slips, a four down the ground and another four smote over extra cover. But Southee went for one more hit which went straight up in the air to be caught by Joe Root just off the cut strip. The end came quickly, Bruce Martin was bowled off stump by a cracker from Anderson to bag his 5th, then Finn had Watling (17) caught behind and Trent Boult looped to gully (0) as New Zealand were bowled out for 207.
Cook and Nick Compton eased along for eight overs before Boult found Cook's edge where Dean Brownlie took a flying catch at 3rd slip to go for 21, 36-1. Compton didn't last much longer, Neil Wagner splattering his off stump next over for 15, 36-2. Root and Trott then began the rebuilding operation as New Zealand began to lose their grip on the game, Root being particularly stylish in his dispatching of the attack, especially through cover and point. The 50 partnership came up in the 25th over as the 100 came up with a four through point. Then Root was nearly run out in a mix up with Trott, but Watling couldn't gather cleanly running up to the stumps, but landed heavily on his knee, and had to go off, with McCullum taking over keeping duties. Not that this fazed Root, who went to his 50 from 78 balls. The runs kept flowing and Martin then limped off injured as well, leaving Williamson to bowl along with seamers. Then Southee managed to rip one onto Root's stumps to go for 71 off the inside edge, 160-3. Trott went to fifty, but Bairstow gave Southee his 2nd of the day, bowled for 5.
Southee soon had three, Prior playing a lazy pull to substitute Martin Guptill and square leg to bag a pair. Williamson got in on the collapse as Trott (56) went for a big drive, only for the ball with turn past the edge and crash into the stumps, 171-6. This brought together nightwatchman Finn and Ian Bell, who'd been off ill most of the previous day. They saw out the last 3 over until close, 180-6, leading by 205, Southee with 3-34.
