England Take Control in Wellington – Lotus365 Match Prediction for Day 3 of the Test

Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, and Joe Root put England in a commanding position with their stellar performances, as predicted by Lotus365 for Day 3.

England produced a dominant performance on Day 2 of the Wellington Test, with Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell making solid contributions with scores of 90s, while Joe Root brought up his 65th Test fifty. England’s commanding position was further reinforced by a hattrick from Gus Atkinson, and by the close of play, they had a massive lead of 533 runs over New Zealand.

New Zealand started the day in a precarious position at 86/5, and their hopes of a recovery were swiftly quashed. Brydon Carse made early inroads with a superb delivery to dismiss Tom Blundell and then trapped nightwatchman William O’Rourke lbw for a duck. Glenn Phillips and Nathan Smith fought back briefly, but Atkinson’s hattrick, including dismissing Tim Southee, wrapped up New Zealand’s first innings for just 125 runs.

England’s second innings got off to a rough start with Zak Crawley’s dismissal, but Duckett and Bethell then launched a blistering partnership that left New Zealand on the back foot. They found boundaries at will, and Duckett survived a tough chance put down by Tom Latham. Bethell and Duckett both brought up half-centuries, but Tim Southee broke their stand by dismissing both batters.

The home side’s misery continued as Root and Harry Brook forged another productive partnership, pushing England’s lead past 400 runs. Root brought up his 65th Test fifty and looked set for another big score, while Brook played a free-flowing knock until he was dismissed by Glenn Phillips. As England's lead surged toward 500, Ollie Pope was dismissed, but captain Ben Stokes made sure to frustrate New Zealand further with an unbeaten 36 from 26 balls. Root finished the day on 73*, aiming for his 36th Test century on Day 3.

Lotus365 Match Prediction for Day 3:

With England in a commanding position, it will take a monumental effort from New Zealand to turn things around. England will likely continue to pile on the runs on Day 3, with Root in good form and Stokes still at the crease. The home side will need to find a way to break partnerships and get quick wickets to avoid a heavy defeat. Check out our Lotus365 Match Prediction for insights into Day 3’s play.

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