For all the reports that suggest Ben Stokes and the England management have brokered something resembling a peace deal over the past 48 hours, the team being led by Joe Root in the all-rounder’s absence still finds itself in strife.

On a sappingly hot third day at the Oval, New Zealand steadily moved into a position of dominance, reaching 252 for three in their second innings and leading by 352 runs. Based on the current trajectory of this second Test, Stokes will be returning for a high-stakes series decider at Trent Bridge next week.

Last summer’s near miss against India in SE11 – chasing 374 to win and falling six runs short – might have offered England a sliver of hope looking ahead to the fourth innings. The heatwave is forecast to continue over the weekend, while the pitch laid out by Lee Fortis and his team has held together up to this point.

But that hope rather evaporated over the course of two sessions as an unbeaten 119 from Henry Nicholls – his 11th Test century – and 76 from Rachin Ravindra ground England into the dirt. If Stokes does return – and this is still neither certain nor straightforward – Root will probably be relieved to stick his captain’s blazer back in the garage where it had sat for four years.

New Zealand were clearly well on top after they finally bowled out England for 291 on the stroke of lunch. Matthew Fisher had been an irritant up to that point, swatting a precious unbeaten 50 from No 9. But a lead of 100 still presented the tourists an ideal platform from which to set a sizeable final target.

From there England needed to be close to perfect in the field and they started brightly, striking early to reduce the tourists to 28 for two inside the ninth over. Jofra Archer produced a beauty to nick off Tom Latham, followed by Josh Tongue teasing a loose drive to slip out of Devon Conway with his first delivery.

And yet despite that early promise, the afternoon soon turned on a dropped catch that continued what has been a tricky baptism for James Rew behind the stumps. Tongue’s angle had managed to induce another edge from Ravindra on seven, only for an admittedly tough chance low to the wicketkeeper’s left to hit the turf.

Ravindra soon grew in confidence when he could have been back in the dressing room at 48 for three. The left-hander eventually fell to Jacob Bethell in the final session via a tight lbw on impact. But not before putting on a punishing third-wicket stand of 161 runs alongside the more nuggety Nicholls.

Dropped in late 2023 after winning 56 caps, Nicholls was on the outer for a spell and averaged 16 during a six-match stint with Worcestershire last summer. But after rediscovering his form in the most recent Plunket Shield, averaging 96, he has instantly plugged the hole left by Kane Williamson’s post-Lord’s retirement.

Root tried his best to juggle his attack but with Fisher still struggling to the left-handers and Archer used sparingly, it was a tough ask on this surface. The only chance offered by Nicholls came straight after tea, when a short ball from Archer was gloved behind on 42 but Rew could only grasp at fresh air.

Much like Jamie Smith during the Ashes, Rew’s cause has not been helped by his opposite number having earlier continued something of a clinic with the gloves. Matt Henry was immaculate en route to figures of five for 80 but it owed plenty to Tom Blundell and his suffocating presence stood up to the stumps. It saw Jordan Cox stuck in his crease and chip to midwicket on 27 first thing, and it saw Archer victim to a superb reflex catch off the edge. And it also continued a theme from both the second day, when Root and Harry Brook were trapped lbw, and England’s struggles last winter when Alex Carey was outshining Smith.

A bit of credit has gone Carey’s way as the trendsetter here but Blundell would probably like a word. Before he let his hair grow down to his shoulders, New Zealand’s wicketkeeper was the first to derail the Bazballers with this ploy during his side’s famous one-run win at the Basin Reserve back in early 2023.

Fisher somehow found a method in the morning, getting inside the line, paddling runs to fine leg, and at one point smacking one straight into Blundell’s midriff. There were also a couple of driven fours though that Brook would have been proud of as Fisher, supported by Sonny Baker, got the crowd going.

But as England’s weary fielders trudged off at stumps, and Nicholls swapped smiles with Daryl Mitchell who was on 35 not out, the stands – much like Root’s hopes of turning this Test around – had thinned out.