Right, time for a break. But to keep you company for the lunch interval, have a read of Vic Marks who wrote this tribute to the outgoing Stokes (as in departing, not that he likes going out, although…).

double quotation mark Jeopardy and Stokes have often been frequent bedfellows, on the field and off it.

And that’s your lot from the morning session. Three wickets for New Zealand as they keep on churning towards victory.

Smith and Atkinson showed a bit of ticker to add over 60 together, but it was without doubt New Zealand’s morning after Emilio Gay edged behind and Joe Root was brilliantly run out by Henry Nicholls.

Archer fights his way through the last over with five men crowding the bat. It wasn’t pretty, but it’s time for a break.

38th over: England 177-6 (Smith 40, Atkinson 12)

A ripple of applause goes around Trent Bridge as the runs required to win dips below 200. A couple of almost quarter-chances in the over as the ball squirms past leg slip slightly airily.

Ben Sears, for what it’s worth, is currently bowling with a broken index finger on his bowling hand.

I must admit I didn’t know the below story from Kimberley, but I’ve enjoyed it a lot as the players take a drink.

Nearby vandals, activists and protestors. Your country needs you now.

“Headingley is in my thoughts. Not the 1981 resurrection of English cricket by Ian Botham and Willis, but the cricket pitch being most infamously dug up by vandals and protesters in August 1975 during the third Ashes Test. Activists protesting the imprisonment of George Davis broke in overnight, dug large holes in the wicket, and poured oil over it, forcing the match to be abandoned as a draw. If any of those activists are still alive, your country needs you once more, RIGHT NOW.”

28th over: England 151-6 (Smith 25, Atkinson 2)

Just the one run off Santner’s third over. Atkinson now on 2 off 29.

One thing I’ve noticed. It doesn’t appear that Ben Sears is on the pitch. He was injured yesterday, O’Rourke injured today. New Zealand are basically down to three bowlers. But, England are already six wickets down.

27th over: England 150-6 (Smith 24, Atkinson 2)

A change of ends for Zak Foulkes. And another maiden.

Ian has his say on the whole situation:

“Two things can be true at once - Stokes has provided great moments & has given a lot of people a lot of fun. Also, yesterday evening highlighted that making it all about him isn’t healthy for the team or indeed himself. Opening the batting when his batting is currently poor, throwing everything at a highly unlikely win will almost certainly result in a series defeat when we could still have avoided defeat. He’s not thinking straight, so leaving is definitely the right decision.

“Brook shouldn’t be captain, it would be like allowing the toddlers to run the play group.”

23rd over: England 137-6 (Smith 13, Aktinson 0)

Coupla runs off the 23rd. Just seven overs left to make sure that England’s last innings under Stokes is not their shortest. Come on lads we can do it.

A few emails in with some outside the box captaincy shouts. Rich and Ade have both tentatively name-checked Ollie Pope, while Darryl has pumped for Haseeb Hameed. I’d file both of those under ‘unlikely’. But we need big thinkers in this day and age.

22nd over: England 133-6 (Smith 9, Atkinson 0)

The good news is the runs are flowing. The bad news is it’s because the ball’s seaming so much that it’s beating batters and wicketkeepers alike.

Uh oh, Will O’Rourke’s in trouble here and has had to come off. As he approached the crease he stopped, reached for his left hamstring and walked straight off. Foukles completed the over.

17th over: England 110-4 (Root 13, Gay 9)

Oh wow. Nathan Smith’s second ball lifts horribly off a length and flies past Emilio Gay’s nose. And the next ball zips past his edge. That 373 to win is looking even further away. I’m bringing my sweepstake of when this all finishes to pre-lunch. Maiden over in all from Smith. A goodie.

Colum has been in touch about the captaincy and rather nails the issue: “Who can step into the shoes of such a gigantic personality, charismatic leader and astounding player? Root is jaded, Brook is probably not ready and no one else really fits the bill.”

And we’ve had the idea of the day from Wayne (kia ora, Wayne) down in New Zealand.

“As a Kiwi, I’ve always wondered how Stokes’ career would have gone had he opted to play for NZ, the country of his birth…After the 4 year ICC stand down for professionals who switch allegiance, he’ll only be 39 and, well, would you write off one more maverick twist in the Stokes tale?”

I’m all for it. Stokes to reverse his international retirement in 2030 and turn out for the Black Caps. (I’m not even sure that would be allowed.)

We’ve had a couple people emailing in (get in contact here) about their thoughts from yesterday.

Liam (hello, Liam) doesn’t hold back: “I thought yesterday was a display of complete arrogance, in keeping with the shambles of the last couple of years.”

While Anand (hello, Anand) isn’t convinced of the ploy for Stokes to open: “Don’t think him opening the batting was probably a good idea and if it wasn’t his last innings, I don’t think he would’ve done it.”

And if England are losing, that means New Zealand are winning.

The tourists have been excellent are the depth of their seam-bowling stocks and overall quality has been immense. Remember, these boys knocked over India three-nil in India’s own backyard less than two years ago. And now they might be about to give England their first series defeat on home soil* since 2012. Not bad from the Black Caps.

*In series of three Tests or more. It’s just very wordy to say it all in one go.

Well. We’re here and it’s happening. Ben Stokes’ final day as a Test cricketer.

It’s a fresh air day for him as he’s already batted and already bowled, but he’ll watch his team do their best to chase down an unlikely 373 to avoid their first home series defeat since 2012 (three Tests or more).

Yesterday was one of the most extraordinary days of cricket ever. If you want to read Ali Martin’s report of it, it is here.