England face a mountainous task to send Ben Stokes into retirement with victory over New Zealand after the captain dropped an astonishing announcement on day four of the deciding Test at Trent Bridge.

At the close of one of the most historic, significant and surreal days in English cricketing history, the home side had slogged their way to 103-4 in a chase of a fanciful 373.

Stokes is already out, after opening the batting and setting the tone for the attitude towards the run chase with some ultra-aggression.

He clubbed 30 from 20 balls before being caught at mid-wicket. Stokes left the Test arena for the final time with his bat and helmet held aloft, saluting a rapturous ovation.

The drama began at 15:25 BST, when a statement was circulated confirming that this Test is Stokes' last. He had told his team-mates in the dressing room on Sunday morning.

At the time, Stokes was in the middle of an 11-over unchanged spell between lunch and tea. In a moment of pure theatre, he had Zak Foulkes caught at second slip with his first ball after the retirement was confirmed.

In truth, the Stokes news made the rest of the action an afterthought.

New Zealand declared their second innings on 288-9 after Daryl Mitchell completed a gutsy century, leaving the Black Caps on the verge of a series win.

That victory is the most likely outcome on Monday, when Stokes' storied England career will come to an end.

This was a stunning day, not just for English cricket, but for British sport. For an England captain to publicly announce his retirement while on the field is unprecedented.

It comes in a tumultuous period for the England team, with Stokes returning for this Test after missing the second against the Black Caps following an incident in a London nightclub.

Still, there was no sense of the seismic news to come as New Zealand slowly strengthened their grip on the Test across the fourth morning and afternoon.

Before this match began, Stokes referred to "this week" when asked about his future in charge. His family and friends were at Trent Bridge on Sunday and perhaps his marathon spell across the afternoon was timed to coincide with the announcement.

It immediately altered the atmosphere and made the remainder of the day about Stokes.

He was given a standing ovation as he approached the crease for the delivery that dismissed Foulkes, the ground erupting as Harry Brook pouched a catch at second slip.

Stokes led the players from the field at tea, was given a guard of honour when he captained England in the field for the final time after the interval, then received another guard of honour by the New Zealanders when he surprisingly emerged to open the batting.

He played the hits one last time, with England explaining Stokes' promotion was an attempt to get ahead of the chase, rather than a lap of honour.

But Stokes will play no further part in his final Test, when his team will almost certainly suffer their first home series defeat in his four years in charge. On an unpredictable surface, with such a huge target, there will not be one last chase as a Stokes send-off.

Trent Bridge was where Bazball was born, against New Zealand in 2022. Free entry means the ground is likely to be full on Monday for Stokes' farewell.

Stokes had already become the centre of attention by the time he sprinted off at the end of the New Zealand innings - a clear indication he would open the batting.

And he signalled his intention with some ridiculous strokes. He ran down the pitch to the fourth ball of the innings, delivered by Nathan Smith, then tried a reverse-sweep at the next. A push for a single from Stokes' third ball ensured his final Test innings would not end in a duck.

In the next over, Stokes hammered back at Will O'Rourke with such force that O'Rourke had to leave the field for treatment on his right hand.

He lofted Foulkes over long-off for six, then took another maximum from a sweep at Smith. Stokes had added 50 from 36 balls with Ben Duckett when he aimed a heave at Foulkes and was caught by Mitchell.

Stokes departed to handshakes from the New Zealanders and a standing ovation, leaving Test cricket with 7,273 runs and 252 wickets. South African great Jacques Kallis is the only other man to do a double of 7,000 runs and 250 wickets.

Jacob Bethell was lbw playing no shot and Stokes' probable successor Harry Brook slogged 21 before holing out.

The action bordered on farce - even Joe Root attempted a reverse-scoop - yet there was little Duckett could do about a spitter from Sears he fended to first slip.

Mitchell's ton was overshadowed by Stokes, but his bravery has set New Zealand on course for the first win in a series of three Tests or more by a visiting team in this country since 2012.

On the rapidly deteriorating pitch, Mitchell was hit on the helmet, body or hands 13 times, yet dogged it out for an unbeaten 100 from 241 balls.

From 120-3 overnight, New Zealand's progress was painstaking because of the surface and the hostility of the bowling from Stokes and Jofra Archer.

The Kiwis almost batted through the morning session, but Rachin Ravindra fell lbw for 94 to Shoaib Bashir just before lunch. England thought they had an opening after the break, with Stokes and Archer combining for three wickets for two runs in 10 balls.

The Stokes announcement arrived and Foulkes' edge made him part of the story. Ben Sears supported Mitchell, then was hit on the hand by Archer and briefly retired hurt, only to return to ensure Mitchell reached three figures.