England lose to New Zealand by one run in one of the closest Test finishes ever
Last man James Anderson, who has never had the winning runs in 179 appearances, was just a swipe of the racquet away from sealing a memorable result for his side, but when he shot from Neil Wagner’s weakest cross, a thrilling contest came to a devastating end for the tourists.
They were knocked out for 256 and went after a 258 goal after twice taking apparent control of the pursuit during partnerships between Joe Root and Ben Stokes and then Ben Foakes and Jack Leach.
Only once before in 146 years of Test cricket has a game been decided by a single run – the West Indies defeated Australia in 1993 – making this an even more agonizing end than England’s famous two-run triumph at Edgbaston in 2005 Ashes.
Remarkably, there is even an argument that this could have gone under as just the third drawn Test in which Wagner’s penultimate ball of the game was dangerously close to being out.
In the end, the defeat was a particularly sobering result given England captain Ben Stokes’ decision to hit the Kiwis batter again on the third morning at the Basin Reserve with a whopping 226 runs on the bench. Only three teams have suffered defeat after sending opponents back – the Australian Classes of 1894, 1981 and 2001.
But Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum can still boast a remarkable track record since taking charge last summer, with 10 wins from 12 following that setback. And judging by their own aspiration to revive interest in the longest format, that was another tick ticked emphatically.
For the Black Caps, who finished the streak 1-1 and kept a six-year unbeaten streak alive at home with the skin of their teeth, the hero was 36-year-old Sailor Wagner. He took four for 62, including Stokes and Root (95) within four game-changing deliveries, and also held a nerveless catch on the fine leg to sack the impressive Foakes with just seven needed.
It was fitting that he took the final wicket, slipping one into Anderson’s body and grazing the racquet on the way through, but he will surely be fortunate that his previous delivery was not called wide by umpire Chris Gaffaney.
At 48-1, the seeds of England’s troubles were sown in a sloppy first hour that saw them plummet to 80-6. Nightwatchman Ollie Robinson only lasted three overs, opener Ben Duckett flashed to slip his feet in concrete and Ollie Pope was completely unconvincing before making a cut.
Most costly, however, was the loss of the in-form Harry Brook, who crept in his last five Tests with a batting average north of 100 and four centuries. One of those was his career-best 186 from the first innings, which came during a 302-run stand with Root.
This time their Yorkshire based partnership ended in despair, Brook running off without even seeing a ball as Root set off on a single that never ran. He sprinted away after dabbing on the third slip, leaving Brook high and dry when the throw came from Michael Bracewell.
Root went a long way to make amends, assisting 153 with an excellent 95 and pulling the game away from New Zealand when he and a struggling Stokes added 121 for the sixth wicket.
But the seeded pair, England’s finest player and his clutch finisher, both resorted to Wagner’s well-known shortball tactics. Stokes, who was in visible pain from a left knee problem that limited him to just two overs in the match, lost both his balance and his lower hand when he made an easy catch at 33.
Moments later, Root gave up a chance to score two hundreds for the first time in his career when he turned a play straight into midwicket.
43 were needed as Stuart Broad was on the eighth man-down and Foakes was so close to playing a match-winning hand. As Leach repeated the sidekick roll he made famous at Headingley in 2019, Foakes meticulously batted the target away to score a measured 33.
There were only seven left when he rounded the corner of Tim Southee, Wagner’s hands not failing him. Emerging in 11th place, Anderson delighted the England fans who had traveled there as he brought Wagner through midwicket for four.
Another of those would have sealed a memorable win, but as he shoved Wagner through to Tom Blundell, he stood desperately in the middle and refused to go through requests for a DRS review.
New Zealand formed a jubilant circle of victory after clinching a remarkable comeback win built around their 483-run second-innings rearguard while England reflected on their role in proceedings.
Rejecting the follow-on would certainly have seen them knock the Black Caps out of the game and guarantee a series win, but it would have been impossible to imagine such a dazzling finale.