Kyle Jamieson helps give New Zealand the edge in World Test Championship final against India

It said much about Kyle Jamieson that he refused to give Virat Kohli practice against the Dukes ball during their time together with Bangalore at this year’s IPL.

Better to wait until he bowled at Kohli at the World Test Championship final, Jamieson reasoned, than give the captain of the franchise that had just paid £1.4million for his services any clues as to what was coming his way in Southampton.

How shrewd that move looked on Sunday when Jamieson trapped Kohli lbw for 44 to set the tone for a third day of this ‘ultimate Test’ that belonged to New Zealand.

Kyle Jamieson took a five-wicket haul to give New Zealand the edge over India in Southampton

Jamieson ripped through India on day three of the World Test Championship final

The Indian captain had spent 132 balls belying his apparent antipathy for this showdown between the two best Test teams in the world by applying himself to the most difficult of challenges provided by New Zealand’s expert all-seam attack.

Yet once Jamieson, continuing a sensational start to his Test career, had been rewarded for bowling a fuller length by claiming the key wicket of Kohli, India’s resistance in the south-coast gloom began to crumble.

It seems odd to talk of a David v Goliath encounter when the ‘little guys’ in New Zealand include a 6ft 8in giant in the 26-year-old Jamieson who then proved irresistible in completing his fifth five-wicket haul in just his eighth Test. 

India skipper Virat Kohli strolls off the field on day three after being dismissed by LBW

New Zealand reached 101-2 in reply with Devon Conway dismissed by an excellent catch

Jamieson was on a hat-trick for the second time already in Test cricket, too, when he dismissed Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah in successive balls only to see Mohammed Shami flash his first to the boundary.

No matter. India, who had battled so defiantly to reach 146 for three on what was effectively the first day of this rain-affected final on Saturday, had lost their last seven wickets for 68 to be bowled out for 217 and New Zealand had the edge.

Then they cemented their advantage by again showing England how to play against the moving ball in English conditions by reaching 101 for two by the close despite Devon Conway gifting Ishant his wicket for 54 just before bad light intervened again.

Kohli (left) now has much to do in the rain-affected Test to get his side back into the contest

Despite the gloom of dark clouds, India fans cheer on their side at the Ageas Bowl

It was not high-tempo entertainment but it was gripping, top quality Test cricket and just what this showpiece occasion needed after the first day rain and then another example of cricket’s inflexibility over light on the second.

And now New Zealand have a chance to move into a commanding position with, in effect, three days left as Wednesday can be used as a sixth day to find a winner.

Meanwhile, Ben Stokes made a winning return to action on Sunday after a serious broken finger with a six in his 29 off 18 balls and a spectacular catch to dismiss Ed Pollock as Durham defeated Birmingham by 22 runs in the T20 Blast.

Stokes, who was injured in his first match of this year’s IPL for Rajasthan Royals, also took the wicket of Sam Hain in a welcome tonic for England, who hope he will make his international comeback in the T20 series against Pakistan next month.