England's six-game winning streak has come to an end after New Zealand sealed a dramatic victory in Wellington by the barest of margins.
In a Test match that ebbed and flowed throughout, England became just the fourth team in history to lose after enforcing the follow on. Having been set a target of 258 to win thanks to a much improved batting display from New Zealand in their second innings, England fell agonisingly short as the Kiwis claimed a one-run win in what will go down as one of the greatest Tests of all time.
There were times during England's chase where they appeared to have everything under control, having successfully chased down four bigger targets last summer including three against New Zealand.
Joe Root followed up his excellent century in the first innings with a brilliant 95 in the second and helped settle England's nerves after they suffered a mini collapse, losing four wickets in just eight overs.
Nightwatcher Ollie Robinson was the first to go, holing out off Tim Southee for two, while Ben Duckett was caught behind off Matt Henry for 33. Ollie Pope was then caught at slip off Neil Wagner for 14, before Harry Brook was run out without facing a single ball after a calamitous mix-up with Root.
With England faltering at 80-5 and still 178 runs short of their target, Root and captain Ben Stokes proceeded to share an excellent 121-run partnership. However, New Zealand refused to lie down as Wagner's short-ball tactics, which had proved so expensive throughout the series, paid dividends as he accounted for both Stokes and Root in quick succession.
Stokes holed out to Tom Latham at square leg for a 116-ball 33 after failing to make clean contact, before Root miscued a pull shot rather tamely to Michael Bracewell at midwicket just two overs later.
Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes was able to drag England within just seven runs of victory as he added 35, with Jack Leach reprising his heroics from the 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley to stick with him after Stuart Broad was caught in the deep for 11.
As England edged ever closer to victory, Foakes top edged a pull shot off Southee and Wagner took an excellent diving catch. James Anderson then came to the crease and promptly smashed Wagner for four to leave England needing two runs to win and one run to draw.
However, New Zealand got their man to claim a stunning victory when Tom Blundell took a diving catch down the leg side after Anderson got a feather-edge on yet another Wagner short ball. It was an enthralling finish to a brilliant Test and ensures the series ends in a draw.
