Atta Kusi, a former defender for Asante Kotoko, regrets playing football.

England chose a no-holds-barred strategy for the third day against New Zealand at Hagley Oval. Ben Stokes scored his first half-century since July, Harry Brook transformed his overnight 132 into a free-styling knock of 171 from 197 balls, and Gus Atkinson returned to his summer batting form.

By lunchtime, they had swept to 459 for 8, a commanding 111-run lead, with Stokes still undefeated at 78. He had recorded his best individual innings since his century at Lord's during the 2023 Ashes, but he succumbed in the second session, plucking out long-on after adding just two more to his score. The lead then increased to 151 thanks to a cameo by Brydon Carse.

In a 36-ball 48, Atkinson hit four fours and two sixes before holing out to deep square leg to give Glenn Phillips his second catch of the innings, providing the most shocking impetus.

With six overs left before the second new ball, England decided not to stand on ceremony in cloudy conditions, much like the ones that had allowed New Zealand's seamers to flourish on the second morning, even though they had resumed on 319 for 5, a 29-run deficit.

During the first 97 runs of his sixth-wicket partnership with Brook, Stokes had been the more reserved partner. However, Will O'Rourke's two explosive slogs in the opening over, the second of which was hammered past midwicket, revealed England's morning plans.

After surviving four drops on the second day, Brook was given a fifth life on 147 after he had hit two strong drives for four to restart his own innings. At Gully, Phillips, who had given him his first reprieve on 18 before snatching a screamer to get Ollie Pope out of the way, made a mess of another very simple catch that bounced out of his fingers.

When the ball changed, Brook knew it was time to ramp up his innings. Though he missed an attempted ramp one ball later, Tim Southee's 122kph outswingers provided meat and drink to his casual approach. He reached 150 after a dramatic wipe through the covers, making him only the third Englishman after Wally Hammond and Joe Root to achieve that mark twice in New Zealand.

His fifteenth four off an open-faced glide came after a powerful smear for six against the pavilion roof at wide long-on. However, Brook tried that strategy once more against Matt Henry and snuck off to Tom Blundell behind the stumps just when it appeared that there would be no relief in sight. With an international Test average of 89.40 and precisely 500 runs at 100.00 in New Zealand alone, he walked off the stage.

Tom Latham, who conceded three chances on day two, scooped up Southee's characteristic outswinger low at second slip, giving Southee the advantage. Chris Woakes did not stay long. However, Atkinson, who was a centurion against Sri Lanka in the summer, kept the runs coming from No. 9 with a quick stroke of 48 from 36 as England brought some uncommon batting depth to this Test.

After bringing up England's 400 with a swivel pull for six over square leg off Henry, he continued to rain blows, leaving Stokes happy to take a short respite from his own aggression. With a sharp pull of O'Rourke through midwicket, he returned to the aggressive strokeplay that had opened the session as the interval drew near.

After lunch, after clobbering Henry straight to Southee in the deep, Stokes flung his head back in despair and played second fiddle. Before Shoaib Bashir's foolish leg-side swipe fell into Southee's mits and gained Henry a fourth wicket, the margin had risen above 150 thanks to Carse's vicious hitting, which included an astonishing wristy-lap over deep fine leg for one of his three sixes.

In the over after lunch, Phillips dropped Carse off his sixth ball, but he was still undefeated with 33 off 24 balls. It was one of Phillips' three drops and two catches during England's innings, as New Zealand shelled up to eight.