Cricket-Pope leads England fightback in second test

It was a disappointing end for the 29-year-old Lees, who lasted 125 balls and hit 11 fours. Root, whose unbeaten 115 guided England to a five-wicket win in the opening test, endured nervy moments and was lucky to survive after flashing at a delivery from Southee who also dropped him in the slip cordon.

Ollie Pope was closing in on his second test century and opener Alex Lees hit his maiden fifty as England reached 195-2 at lunch on the third day of the second test against New Zealand on Sunday. Resuming on 90-1 after the touring side posted a dominant 553 thanks to a well-crafted 190 by Daryl Mitchell, England continued to score runs freely at a sunny Trent Bridge to trail by 358 runs at the interval.

Pope, who had taken advantage of a dropped catch to race to his half-century on the second day, was unbeaten on 84 with former captain Joe Root on 35 not out, after Lees departed following a poor shot. Lees excelled in good batting conditions as he fluently drove pace bowler Tim Southee for two fours before reaching his first test fifty with a four on the leg-side off Kyle Jamieson.

On 67, however, he chased a wide delivery from Matt Henry to edge it to Mitchell at slip and the fielder made no mistake having dropped the left-hander early in his innings, ending a solid second-wicket partnership of 141. It was a disappointing end for the 29-year-old Lees, who lasted 125 balls and hit 11 fours.

Root, whose unbeaten 115 guided England to a five-wicket win in the opening test, endured nervy moments and was lucky to survive after flashing at a delivery from Southee who also dropped him in the slip cordon. The final starts at Headingley on June 23.