Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra power New Zealand to 352-run lead over England after day three

Henry Nicholls of New Zealand (AP photo) Henry Nicholls made an immediate impact on his return to New Zealand colours, coming on for the retired Kane Williamson and delivering a composed unbeaten century to propel his side into a dominant position against England on day three of the Test at The Oval. On Friday, New Zealand reached 252 for 3 in their second innings, taking their total to 352 after bowling England out for 291 just before lunch. Nicholls remained unbeaten on 119, anchoring the innings alongside Rachin Ravindra, who made a smooth 76 before his dismissal after tea. The pair added 161 runs from 201 balls, setting a new record for New Zealand’s highest partnership at The Oval. Their stand first steadied the innings, then steadily built control before shifting gears after tea as they began to score near sixes and overs with sharp timing and clean pull. New Zealand’s position puts them firmly in charge of the match, with seven wickets still in hand and an opportunity to push for a 500-run lead. This would mean that England would face a steep challenge in the fourth innings, especially given their history on the field. Their highest successful chase at The Oval remains 263 against Australia in 1902, while their all-time highest fourth innings chase is 378 for 3 against India at Edgbaston in 2022 during the Bazball era. Nicholls, who only arrived in London last Sunday after Williamson’s shock retirement, admitted the switch was unexpected. “(Williamson’s retirement) was a bit of a shock to everyone,” he said. “I was lucky enough to play a lot of cricket with Kane. I could never replace him. I’ve really enjoyed being back in Test cricket, you want to contribute. It’s been fun, partnering with Rachin and eventually Daryl (Mitchell).” Coming in early at 8 for 1, Nicholls faced Jofra Archer’s high-pace bowling and had to settle quickly. He survived the initial burst, then was rebuilt after the release of Devon Conway alongside Ravindra, who played a more attacking role, while Nicholls provided stability. There were a few early alarms, including a dropped chance on 7 by debutant keeper James Rew, who endured a difficult climb behind the stumps. England’s bowlers struggled to break through the stands during the middle overs as the duo methodically drained the energy from the attack and the crowd. But after tea, the pace shifted dramatically. Nicholls reached his half-century off 72 balls, Ravindra followed shortly after on 79 deliveries for his maiden fifty against England. Ravindra’s innings ended on 76 when he was trapped lbw by Jacob Bethell, who again proved decisive after taking three wickets in the first innings. Nicholls brought up his century soon after, reaching the 133-ball milestone with his 14th boundary, which he drove through mid-wicket at Bethell. It was his 11th Test hundred in his 59th match and his second against England, having previously scored a century in Auckland in 2018. He has also scored back-to-back hundreds recently, including an unbeaten 150 in Zimbabwe last August. He acknowledged the applause, raised his bat and continued with calm assurance. At stumps, he was unbeaten on 119 off 164 deliveries with Daryl Mitchell not out on 32 alongside him as New Zealand added 63 runs in the last 86 balls of the day without losing control. Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s position was built on a strong bowling effort led by Matt Henry, who took 5 for 80 to secure his seventh five-wicket haul in Tests. After making a strong comeback after back spasms ruled him out of the first Test at Lord’s, Henry was supported by sharp fielding as England were restricted to 291. England’s lower order showed unexpected resistance, with Matthew Fisher and debutant Sonny Baker thwarting the attack and adding 53 runs for the last wicket. Fisher remained unbeaten on 50 off 77 balls and earned a standing ovation from the Oval crowd despite England falling into a big deficit.