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
Four wickets fell during a chaotic first hour on day five but Root produced an assured response and the game appeared to be slipping away from New Zealand when Wagner was called back into the attack. He had immediate success in targeting the limping Stokes, who had been struggling with his long-standing knee issue, and when Root also miscued a pull in his next over, to depart for 95, the pendulum had swung again.
England, who declared their first innings eight down and then made New Zealand follow on 226 runs behind, were ultimately victims of their own positive intent, at no point looking to make the game safe despite sitting on a 1-0 lead. But New Zealand were deserving winners after dredging a response with the bat, led by Kane Williamson’s hundred in the third innings, and then finding a way to take ten wickets on a surface that had few fifth-day demons.
There was more than a measure of revenge for the original victims of Bazball, after New Zealand were swept aside in three consecutive chases during the English summer. Victory in Wellington not only preserved an unbeaten record at home stretching back to 2016-17, but it meant they became the first team in seven attempts to thwart Stokes’ team in the fourth innings.