Mitchell steadies New Zealand as the lead swells to 445 against England at The Oval

LONDON (AP) — England nemesis Daryl Mitchell was 66 not out and leading New Zealand's strained addition to its big lead of 445 runs on the fourth morning of The Oval test on Saturday.

New Zealand lost three wickets before the clouds parted but was 345-6 at lunch. With Mitchell was Nathan Smith on 30 off 35 balls.

Their intimidating second innings lead was already far above what England has ever chased successfully in a fourth innings, 378.

The Black Caps added 93 runs in 25 overs against bowling that was finding some nip with a ball 60 overs old, especially from Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, England's most experienced quicks.

Mitchell could have fallen to the first delivery of the day when he drove at Archer and edged to second slip but the ball flew through Harry Brook's outstretched right hand.

It was the only chance Mitchell offered in the rest of the session.

He plundered 32 off 43 balls on Friday evening but respected Saturday's bowler-friendlier conditions to add just 34 runs from 59 more balls.

Mitchell reached 50 just after drinks, off 68 balls, to no surprise. He has a particular chemistry with the England bowlers; he averages 56 against them, far above his test average of 42. This was his eighth test fifty beside three hundreds against England in 12 tests.

Meanwhile, partners came and went.

Brook held on to his next catching chance to help Archer remove overnight century-maker Henry Nicholls. Nicholls had just been struck on the fingers by Tongue and fell to a defensive poke after adding only two runs to his 119 on Friday.

Tom Blundell took a blow to his hip from Tongue, who got the Kiwi batter out on 16 when he tried a tickle down the leg side. The ball went to first slip Joe Root, whose spill was snatched by wicketkeeper James Rew, with the extra bonus of Root falling on him.

Rew ended up in a celebratory scrum of his teammates, perhaps to encourage the debutant who has conceded the most byes — 31 and counting — by an England keeper in a test in 12 years.

Glenn Phillips, the century-maker in the first innings, was out on 3 when he edged Archer to Jacob Bethell at gully.

Smith helped Mitchell stop the bleeding with four boundaries and a six off Bethell that cleared long-on, with better batting weather to come in the afternoon.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's Josh Tongue, center, celebrates taking the wicket of New Zealand's Tom Blundell, left, on day four of the Second Rothesay Test cricket match between England and New Zealand in London, England, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

New Zealand's Glenn Phillips, left, reacts after being dismissed by England's Jofra Archer, right, on day four of the Second Rothesay Test cricket match between England and New Zealand in London, England, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell on day four of the Second Rothesay Test cricket match between England and New Zealand in London, England, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

England's Josh Tongue reacts to a missed chance on day four of the Second Rothesay Test cricket match between England and New Zealand in London, England, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A decision by the Polish president to strip Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest state honor was beneficial to Moscow, which has an interest in seeing Kyiv in conflict with its allies, Ukrainian officials said.

President Karol Nawrocki announced Friday he will strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle over the Ukrainian leader’s decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II.

Former Polish President Andrzej Duda bestowed the award on Zelenskyy in 2023 for services to security, resilience and the defense of human rights.

Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a military unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or UPA, which operated during the 1940s and 1950s and has been accused in Poland of mass killings.

“For the majority of Polish society, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains above all a formation responsible for cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II,” Nawrocki said in a 13-minute address on social media.

The decision to revoke the honor did not mean Poland’s support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia would decrease, Nawrocki said.

The Ukrainian decision was met with widespread criticism in Poland. However, Nawrocki is a nationalist politician who has exploited anti-Ukrainian sentiment for electoral gain. Ukrainians in Poland have been facing increasing prejudice despite their contribution to the economy.

Ukrainian Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov wrote on Telegram that Nawrocki's decision was “an unfriendly act toward our people” and “a gift to the Moscow aggressor, which will certainly use it against both of our countries.”

Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the step “a strategic mistake by the President of Poland, one that benefits only Moscow.”

Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar said the decision was “especially painful” as Ukrainians battle missile and drone attacks.

The three Ukrainian officials, as well as Budanov's deputy, Ihor Zhovkva, said they would return state honors that Poland had issued them. Some have criticized Ukraine's response.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Ukraine’s former prime minister, wrote on X Saturday that one “harmful and incorrect decision by the current president of Poland cannot be corrected by other incorrect decisions of ours.”

Poland is scheduled to host a major event on Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction next week, which Zelenskyy is expected to attend.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political rival of Nawrocki, urged the two leaders to “tone down emotions, not stoke tensions.”

“The front line runs elsewhere,” Tusk wrote on social media Friday night, adding that the conflict between Poland and Ukraine “delights Putin and shocks our allies.”

Zelenskyy’s May decree said the designation was meant to restore the historical traditions of the national military and recognize the unit’s performance in defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence.

The UPA fought for Ukrainian independence against both Nazi Germany and Soviet forces. But it has been accused of killing tens of thousands of Poles, most in the Nazi-occupied regions of Volhynia and Eastern Galicia. In 2016, the Polish Parliament recognized the crimes committed by UPA as genocide.

Ukrainians say armed formations on both sides, including the UPA and Polish underground forces, were involved in attacks and reprisals that led to large-scale civilian casualties among Poles and Ukrainians.

Poland and Ukraine had recently made progress on the issue of exhumation of Polish victims. A December meeting between the two presidents in Warsaw had signaled progress on historical reconciliation.

Yurchuk reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writer Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

FILE - Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)