Il Nuovo Postiglione - Boult strikes as England collapse in New Zealand finale

England last week went 2-0 up in the three-match series playing bold and aggressive cricket under their new leadership pair of captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, a former New Zealand skipper.

But replying to Test world champions New Zealand's first innings score of 329, England lost six wickets within 12 overs at Headingley, most of them due to good bowling rather than cavalier batting.

Left-hander Alex Lees, dropped in the slips off the first ball of the innings, was bowled by a superb Boult leg-cutter four balls later.

Ollie Pope, fresh from a hundred in the second Test at Trent Bridge, was also cleaned up by Boult to leave England 14-2.

The out-of-form Zak Crawley was next to fall, bowled middle stump by Boult, who had 3-43 in eight overs at tea, before Tim Southee had star batsman Joe Root caught behind for five on his Yorkshire home ground.

That left England 21-4 and although Stokes counter-attacked by going down the pitch to drive Southee for six, he could only chip recalled left-arm quick Neil Wagner to mid-off trying to play a similar shot.

Three balls later, Wagner had a second wicket in only his first over of the series when wicketkeeper Ben Foakes was plumb lbw for nought to leave England 55-6 in 11.5 overs.

Jonny Bairstow, one of several Yorkshireman in England's XI, had made 27 when Wagner dropped a return catch of a checked drive.

Bairstow (33 not out) and Jamie Overton (16 not out) then managed to make it through to the break.

Earlier, Daryl Mitchell became only the fifth New Zealander to score hundreds in three successive Tests after the visitors resumed on 225-5.

He put on 120 with Tom Blundell, who made 55 before Blundell was lbw to Matthew Potts.

Mitchell completed the fourth hundred of his 12-Test career in style, lofting spinner Jack Leach over long-off for six.

But trying to repeat the stroke, his 228-ball innings ended when a miscued drive off Leach was well caught by Stokes, running back from mid-off.

His exit, as one of a trio of victims for Leach either side of lunch, came as New Zealand lost their last three wickets for four runs.

Leach, whose Test career has been blighted by illness, injury and inconsistent selection, finished with an impressive of 5-100 in 38.3 overs.

M.Lombardi--INP