England chase 296 to win 3rd Test against New Zealand

England's Jack Leach (2nd L) celebrates with teammates after taking his 10th wicket of the match, that of New Zealand's Trent Boult on day 4 of the third cricket Test match between England and New Zealand at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds, northern England, on 26 June, 2022AFP

England were set a target of 296 to complete a clean-sweep over New Zealand after dismissing the Black Caps for 326 in the third Test on Sunday.

Tom Blundell top-scored with 88 not out and Daryl Mitchell made 56 as the pair shared their fourth century partnership of a three-match series.

But after Matthew Potts made the breakthrough to have Mitchell lbw on review for 56, the World Test champions collapsed on the fourth afternoon at Headingley.

Jack Leach polished off the tail on his way to figures of 5-66, which combined with his first-innings 5-100 gave the left-arm spinner overall figures of 10-166 -- the first time he had taken 10 wickets in a match during his 25-Test career.

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell gestures to his partner during play on day 4 of the third cricket Test match between England and New Zealand at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds, northern England on 26 June, 2022
AFP

England will fancy their chances of completing a clean sweep of the World Test champions after chasing down a target of 299 inside a day to win the second Test at Trent Bridge last week for a five-wicket victory that gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Another success in Leeds would mean England had won all three of their Tests since the appointment of a new leadership duo in captain Ben Stokes and red-ball head coach Brendon McCullum, a former New Zealand skipper.