NZ vs ENG

New Zealand vs England, 2nd Test, Day 5, Highlights: New Zealand Beat England By 1 Run, Level Series 1-1

New Zealand 209( Southee 73, Broad 4- 61, Anderson 3- 37) and 483( Williamson 132, Blundell 90, Latham 81, Leach 5- 157) beat England 435 for 8 dec( Brook 186, Root 153 *, Henry 4- 100) and 256( Root 95, Wagner 4- 62, Southee 3- 45) by one run.

New Zealand came only the fourth platoon in history to win a Test after following on, and the alternate to win by a one- run periphery, as they scuffled the game down from England on a dramatic final day in Wellington. Neil Wagner was the catalyst with a short- ball assault during the autumn session and he limited the comeback by taking the final gate amid rising pressure at Basin Reserve.

Wagner finished with 4 for 62 as the home side battled back after a century stage between Joe Root and Ben Stokes to induce England's first defeat in seven Tests and insure a drawn series. Four lattices fell during a chaotic first hour on Tuesday but Root produced an assured response and the game appeared to be slipping down from New Zealand when Wagner was called back into the attack. He'd immediate success in targeting the limping Stokes, who had been floundering with his long- standing knee issue, and when Root also miscued a pull in his coming over, to depart for 95, the pendulum had swung again.

The bouncer ploy also saw off Stuart Broad, who ramped Matt Henry to deep third, but Ben Foakes played unflappably in the company of Jack Leach- who knows a bit about fourth- innings heroics with the club- to whittle the demand down to single numbers. Foakes also fell hooking at Tim Southee and although James Anderson struck Wagner for four to take England to within two runs of palm, he was caught down the leg side to spark triumphant fests among the New Zealanders.

England, who declared their first innings eight down and also made New Zealand follow on 226 runs behind, were eventually victims of their own positive intent, at no point looking to make the game safe despite sitting on a 1- 0 series lead. But New Zealand were meritorious winners after dredging a response with the club, led by Kane Williamson's hundred in the third innings, and also chancing a way to take ten lattices- nine of them on the fifth day- on a face that had many demons. There was further than a measure of vengeance for the original victims of Bazball, after New Zealand were swept away in three successive chases during the English summer. Palm in Wellington not only saved an unbeaten record at home stretching back to 2016- 17, but it meant they came the first platoon in seven attempts to baffle Stokes' platoon in the fourth innings.

The result was secured in front of a healthy crowd, taking advantage of free entry on the final day, as the Basin Reserve joined a select group of Tests that needs little farther elaboration Kolkata 2001, Headingley 1981 and Sydney 1884.

Stokes said latterly that he'd do the same again" In terms of looking back and making my decision around the follow- on, no, I do not lament it. Other brigades are allowed to play better than us and New Zealand have played better than us this week."

Joe Root fell five runs short of a alternate hundred in the match Joe Root fell five runs short of a alternate hundred in the match • AFP/ Getty Images England came into the final day demanding 210 runs with nine lattices standing, and would have been viewed as favourites given their recent proficiency in similar situations. They were in trouble at 80 for 5, with Root reproachable in the run- eschewal of Harry Brook before he'd faced a ball, but were putatively on course for palm after a 121- run stage between the current captain and his precursor. Enter Wagner, whose cushion- to- cushion system had been taken piecemeal so exhaustively in the first Test at Mount Maunganui.

On this occasion it bore fruit straight down. Stokes had been visibly hampered by injury and decided to try and hit his way out of trouble, but his top- edged pull, with the nethermost hand coming off the club, was safely by Tom Latham taken at square leg. England at this stage were precariously placed, still 57 from their target, and they had knocked one off that when Root drilled out five runs shy of his alternate hundred in the match. Foakes nearly fell in the same manner, Michael Bracewell misgauging the flight of the ball at deep midwicket, but with tea pushed back Southee returned to end a 36- run stage for the ninth gate and it was fitting that Wagner was the man to seal a nail- smelling palm in the tenth over of his game- turning spell. Both brigades had seen their fortunes rot and flow in the Test, and that continued on day five with New Zealand ripping out four lattices beforehand on. But Root attacked Bracewell's offspin on the way to a run-a-ball fifty while Stokes, playing an uncharacteristically protective hand, gritted his teeth through the probations of Henry as well as the discomfort caused by his knee- to revitalize England's fortunes either side of the lunch break.With Bracewell under pressure, the home side's cause was farther downsized when Henry was forced to leave the field with back soreness- although he was suitable return and sailed a crucial spell that helped put the thickets on Root's innings and nearly saw off Stokes, with Daryl Mitchell unfit to cleave on to a flying chance at slip.

New Zealand demanded to start well, and the first hour could slightly have gone better for them. England lost 4 for 27, including the run- eschewal of Brook, whose scintillating 186 in the first innings had helped push the game on despite further than 50 overs being lost to rain over the first two days. Ollie Robinson, the nightwatcher, was dismissed in the third over of the morning, a top- edged swipe across the line ending up in the hands of slip. With Ollie Pope beaten doubly in his first three balls from Southee, England looked to Ben Duckett for assurance but the nature added just ten runs to his late aggregate before reaching for a cut at Henry and thick- edging behind.

A quiet period followed, before New Zealand struck doubly in as numerous balls to shoot another ripple of fear through the excursionists. Pope had played his first authoritative shot, pulling Wagner for four, when he decided to back cut and steered the ball straight to alternate slip, Tom Latham holding a sharp chance. England were 80 for 4 and that came 80 for 5 twinkles latterly as Root called without realising his reverse- bottom dab hadn't got through the cordon, Bracewell swooping from third slip to fire in a gamble to Tom Blundell that left Brook well short, and continuing his jam straight back to the dressing room. England under Stokes have made a habit of" running towards the peril" but this was too nonfictional an interpretation of the mantra.