The China Mail - New Zealand frustrate England as Stokes returns for series decider

New Zealand were 108-0 at lunch in Nottingham, with the three-match series locked at 1-1.

Black Caps skipper Tom Latham, cashed in on winning the toss on a good pitch in the middle of a heatwave in Britain, with 50 not out and fellow left-handed opener Devon Conway was unbeaten on 45.

The pair were rarely troubled by a reshaped England attack that struggled to get the ball to deviate in the air or off the surface, with seam-bowling all-rounder Stokes's five overs costing 30 runs.

Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson returned as two of four changes to the England team thrashed by 253 runs in the second Test at the Oval after being dropped for breaking a midnight curfew in an incident at a London nightclub celebrating the hosts' win in the series opener at Lord's.

Atkinson was given the new ball but could not break through, while Conway cover-drove express quick Jofra Archer for four.

Recalled off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who hadn't bowled in a Test in more than a year, came on in the 11th over -- unusually early for a slow bowler on the first day of the Test.

But he came closest to a wicket when Conway, on 18, was deceived by a well-flighted delivery and saw his miscued drive just evade a diving Joe Root at short extra-cover.

Stokes brought himself on, to warm applause and cheers from the crowd, for the 20th over, with New Zealand 64-0 as he tried to protect his quicks in the energy-sapping conditions by bowling them in short spells.

But opposing skipper Conway promptly drove his second delivery for four, one of a quartet of boundaries in a composed 65-ball fifty.

C.Smith--ThChM