England loses 3 wickets before lunch and at risk of losing 3rd test against New Zealand

HAMILTON, New Zealand — Jacob Bethell and Joe Root made half centuries in a 104-run partnership but both fell before lunch Tuesday as England battled to save the third test against New Zealand on the fourth day.

Root was out for 54 after compiling his 65th half century and 101st test innings of 50 or more while Bethell posted his third half century of the series and fell for 76.

At lunch England was 193-5, still trailing New Zealand by 464 runs with Ollie Pope 17 not out and Gus Atkinson 19.

England has an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after winning the first test by eight wickets and the second by 323 runs.

England began the day at 18-2 after losing Ben Duckett and Zac Crawley late on the third day and after New Zealand declared with a mammoth lead of 657. The tourists lost Root, Bethell and Harry Brook in an extended first session.

While an England win was always improbable as it would have to eclipse the previous highest winning fourth-innings score in tests of 418, there was at least a possibility it could bat for two days to draw the test and win the series 2-0.

The loss of Root, who looked in good form and of Brook who scored centuries in both of the first two tests has made that outcome more remote.

Play began half an hour early to make up time lost to rain on the third morning and Root, who resumed on 0, and Bethell, who started on 9, looked untroubled at first.

Bethell reached his half century from 53 balls with eight fours and a six and Root followed him to that milestone from 59 balls with nine fours.

The England batters were unsettled by another fiery spell by New Zealand fast bowler Will O'Rourke who, bowling with a strong wind at his back, reached speeds of 153 kph .

He struck Root in the groin, which left him in discomfort for the rest of his innings, and hit Pope on the helmet as he ducked into a short ball.

Root was out soon after, trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner as he knelt to sweep. New Zealand's appeal was turned down by the on-field umpire but the replay showed the ball that had pitched on leg stump was straightening and hitting the middle stump.

Brook faced a series of extremely quick balls from O'Rourke and was caught when he fended a difficult delivery to Daryl Mitchell at first slip.

Bethell made 10 and 50 not out in the first test, 16 and 96 in the second and 12 and 76 in the third after stepping into a vacancy at No. 3 in the England order. He had reached 76 from 96 balls Tuesday when he sliced a ball from Tim Southee to Glenn Phillips at deep third man.

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