LONDON (AP) — Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra dug in against England and reinforced New Zealand's hefty 100-run first innings lead in The Oval test on Friday.
New Zealand was 94-2 in 25 overs — effectively 194-2 — at tea on day three with Nicholls on 39 and Ravindra on 35.
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England's Joe Root bowls on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Tom Latham leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Devon Conway leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra bats on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Henry Nicholls bats on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
England rode the lift in spirits from a precious last-pair partnership of 53 between tailenders Matthew Fisher and Sonny Baker to lunch with the wickets of the New Zealand opening batters soon after.
Captain Tom Latham was out for 4 when he edged behind Jofra Archer's slowest delivery of the third over at 140 kph (87 mph). In the same over, Nicholls popped up a 147 kph delivery that dropped safely and his inside edge was beaten by a 145 kph shooter.
Devon Conway lasted six overs longer when he was out driving at Josh Tongue and gave a thick edge to second slip on 11 at 28-2.
It could have been worse for New Zealand. Tongue should have had Ravindra on 7 but wicketkeeper James Rew spilled a tough, low chance into his left glove.
Chances dried up from there and the batters took the sting out of England and lulled a crowd bathing in sunshine. The pitch was still offering some grip; one Tongue delivery barely rose above the shoelaces and shot under Ravindra's bat.
Ravindra likes to play and so offers chances, but he also expertly clipped Baker off his toes to the boundary, one of his seven.
Nicholls hit part-time spinner Root, England's leading wicket-taker in the current side with 73, for consecutive driven fours as tea approached. But it was a rare show of anger in his careful 64-ball innings.
Nicholls and Ravindra restored the momentum back to New Zealand after England batted through the entire morning after being 238-9.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
England's Joe Root bowls on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Tom Latham leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Devon Conway leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra bats on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Henry Nicholls bats on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
One of the few Black-owned banks in the United States is introducing a debit card aimed at helping single mothers who live in government-subsidized housing escape poverty.
The Bank King Card debit card will be offered beginning Friday in honor of Juneteenth by Redemption Bank, which will make a donation from every account opened to nonprofits that will steer the funding to needy families.
“Bank King Card represents a new regenerative banking model that starts with investing in mothers who are a few hopeful dollars away from breaking out of poverty, and opening up America’s vaults of opportunity that have been closed to too many for too long,” Redemption Holding Co. chair and Chief Executive Ashley Bell said.
A 2026 report by the Urban Institute and the Jeremiah Program says households led by single mothers experience widespread economic and caregiving hardship.
Redemption Bank, based in Holladay, Utah, says it intends to make fixed-amount donations based on new Bank King Card account openings. The amount will be determined annually by the bank’s board of directors and will not be based on the amount of card purchases, according to Redemption Bank.
Nonprofits that provide direct-cash services would apply for grants through a foundation developed to make sure the money gets to those who need it most.
“What we’ve seen is these guaranteed income programs have been a jolt out of poverty for women around the country, including many women of color,” Bell said.
Money given directly to needy mothers and children is overwhelmingly spent to cover necessary goods or services, according to Chastity Lord, president and chief executive of the Jeremiah Program, which works to improve economic mobility for single mothers.
But it also does so much more, she said.
“It provides dignity,” Lord continued. “It ensures summer learning, not leaving kids at home. It increases nutrition. It allows the mom to make powerful decisions that benefit their children and their families instead of making decisions to just get by.”
A pilot program through the Ohio Mother's Trust funneled $500 each month for a year to 32 single mothers in the Columbus, Ohio, area.
For Juanita Amakor of Columbus, the cash she received through the Ohio Mother's Trust allowed her to catch up on bills and pay rent.
“It's the breathing room it gives you, knowing there is something extra coming in. It relieves a lot of anxiety,” said Amakor, 36, who has a 7-year-old daughter. “This help goes a long way, even if it was for something as little as being able to take my child to the grocery store, to the clothing store.”
In Michigan, Rx Kids gives women a one-time allocation of $1,500 during pregnancy, followed by $500 per month throughout the child’s first months. The $1,500 can be used on food, prenatal care, rent, cribs or other needs. The $500 monthly stipend can be spent on formula, diapers or childcare.
Kinea Wright and her family received funding through the Rx Kids program in Flint. It helped with some bills, diapers for her newborn daughter and other needs, especially after her husband was injured in a forklift accident.
“Initially, (the money) was put up for a rainy day,” said Wright, 46. “I didn't know the rainy day would come sooner than we thought. It was a blessing in disguise.”
A year ago, Redemption Holding Co. completed its acquisition of Utah-based Holladay Bank & Trust, making it the first time a bank has been owned by a Black-led investment group in the Western U.S.
At the time, Redemption Bank had roughly $65 million in assets. It primarily focuses on commercial lending and small business loans. Bernice A. King, the youngest child of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is a co-founder and senior vice president of the bank.
“Economic opportunity must be practical, accessible and rooted in the needs of families,” King said. “Bank King Card is an innovative way to support that work. It creates a practical opportunity for people to align their financial choices with their values while supporting mothers, children and families working toward long-term stability.”
A Bank King Card credit card is expected to be introduced later with interest rates capped at 12%.
The announcement of the Bank King Card coincides with Juneteenth, which also is the one-year anniversary of Redemption's acquisition of Holladay Bank & Trust.
Juneteenth — which combines “June” and “nineteenth” — represents the date in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed. It came two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. In 2021, President Joe Biden designated it a federal holiday.
Corey Williams is a member of AP's Race & Ethnicity team.
FILE - Ashley Bell speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, Aug. 9, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Paul Holston, File)
FILE - Bernice A. King, facing forward, hugs Siara White after her tribute to Coretta Scott King during the Martin Luther King Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Jan. 19, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)
