Stokes motivates his team to put in extra effort, says England pacer Potts

Hamilton: England pacer Matthew Potts credited captain Ben Stokes for motivating the team to put in extra effort after the dominating show on the first day of the third Test against New Zealand. At stumps, New Zealand were 315/9 as Potts and Gus Atkinson shared six wickets between them while Brydon Carse and Stokes grabbed two and one, respectively.

All-rounder Stokes bowled 23 overs in Hamilton, his most in an innings since the summer of 2022. "He can be really proud of his efforts. He leads the team by example," Potts told BBC Sport. "He probably won't want to take the credit, but when we see him doing special things like that, it motivates you to put in that extra 1% for the team," he added.

Stokes has faced limitations in his bowling due to injuries in recent years. After undergoing surgery on a long-standing left knee issue last year, he suffered a hamstring injury in August shortly after regaining full fitness.

In the ongoing three-Test series in New Zealand, where England holds an unassailable 2-0 lead, Stokes has resumed a full role as the fourth seamer. His efforts in Hamilton included a spell of 23 overs, matching his workload from the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge over two years ago. "Massive plaudits to the skipper. He bowled three long spells there and one of them was eight overs of bouncers," Potts said.

The pacer returned to the England lineup for his first appearance on the current tour, replacing Chris Woakes. The 26-year-old pacer, who has been in and out of the side since his debut in 2022, earned his 10th Test cap and second of the winter. Potts delivered figures of 3-75, including the prized wicket of Kane Williamson, who played onto his stumps for 44. Remarkably, Potts has dismissed Williamson four times in the five innings he has bowled to him.

When asked about the challenge of waiting for opportunities in the England setup, Potts replied: "I wouldn't say it's frustrating, no. I enjoy every single moment of being part of this squad. There are always jobs I can be doing, helping out. "The competition for places is really high and that's a great thing from the team standpoint. These things happen. You travel around a little bit and don't play, then you get an opportunity."

England aim to become only the third visiting team to achieve a 3-0 series clean sweep in New Zealand.

Stokes opted to field first after winning the toss, a decision that initially seemed to backfire as Tom Latham and Will Young built New Zealand's highest opening stand in 18 months. However, England mounted a strong comeback during the afternoon and evening sessions, leaving the match finely balanced.

With a pitch expected to assist turn and variable bounce as the game progresses, England may rely on securing a significant first-innings lead to tilt the contest in their favour.

"It's in the balance. The pitch played better throughout the day and started to look like a decent batting wicket," said Potts. "We were excellent. We persevered with the ball and in the field and stuck at it in the heat."