England surge into Day 4 lead

London - Centuries by Alastair Cook and Ben Stokes have propelled England to 429-6 for a lead of 295 over New Zealand and back in control of the first Test at Lord's on Sunday heading into the final day.

The hundreds came in vastly different fashion, but appropriate at the time in the match.

Cook, along with Joe Root, who made 84, answered a desperate need by their team for someone to dig in and score big, after England started the day at 74-2 and 60 runs behind.

Cook's solution was his 27th hundred, and batting through the whole day.

Stokes replaced Root, was unfazed by the second new ball, and remarkably shredded the New Zealand attack with the second fastest test century by an Englishman, albeit one born in New Zealand.