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Ben Stokes enforces follow-on early on day three in WellingtonHosts trail by 24 runs with seven second-innings wickets intactA couple of days out from the second Test, at a drinks reception, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, David White, referred to the Basin Reserve as the “spiritual home” of the sport in the country, prompting a few harrumphs from the visiting heads of the country’s major associations.Lighthearted harrumphs, admittedly, they nevertheless spoke to the pride that underpins cricket in New Zealand and the collective drive from the bottom up that saw the men’s national team climb the mountain and claim the inaugural World Test Championship title in Southampton two years ago.The ICC mace was on display at the New Zealand Cricket Museum on the third day at the Basin and, out on a field, a good deal of local pride was too. Overnight rain had turned the ground’s grass banks into mudslides but the two sets of supporters were undeterred, sitting transfixed by a gripping arm-wrestle out in the middle.For the first time as England captain, Ben Stokes had the chance to enforce the follow-on and took it. New Zealand had finally been bowled out for 209 in the morning – a deficit of 226 runs – after Stuart Broad had snuffed out some bludgeoning tail-end work from Tim Southee, 73, to finish with figures of four for 61.But any thoughts of two days off were thwarted by a characterful response from New Zealand, reaching 202 for three at stumps and just 24 runs behind. Half-centuries from Tom Latham, 83, and Devon Conway, 61, laid the foundation for this, and though a wobble came after tea, Jack Leach and Joe Root sharing three wickets in the space of nine overs, the hosts had unquestionably won the day.The pushback began first thing when Southee rolled back the years to that six-hitting Test debut in Napier in 2008, resuming on 23 and crunching 50 from 31 balls, with Leach launched over the ropes three times in one over. Though not enough to prevent the follow-on, a 98-run stand with Tom Blundell, 38, had given Stokes food for thought.Not that he pondered too long. And beyond England’s desire for fast cricket there was sound merit: with the surface turning brown after its emerald-green start, this was possibly the last day with something for the seamers before it flattened out. Not that it proved the case. The wind had changed direction from the previous day and with it the fortunes of New Zealand’s opening pair.Over the next two and a half hours, as muggy cloud cover made way for sunshine, they offered diligent resistance. Latham, curiously overlooked for the captaincy last December despite nine Tests as a stand-in previously, waited for the chance to pull and cut predominantly, passing 5,000 Test runs along the way, while Conway drove languidly when the seamers went full. He is so easy on the eye. Continue reading...