New Zealand were made to follow-on in the second Test at home against England, but they didn't lose hope, and on Tuesday the Kiwis pulled off a stunning one-run win over the visitors in a thrilling finish on the final day in Wellington.
Neil Wagner was the hero of NZ's triumph after their batsmen, led by centurion Kane Williamson (132), dig in following-on and set England 258 to win. Wagner took four wickets and a couple of catches at crucial junctures.
Joe Root led England's run-chase with 95 and added 121 runs with skipper Ben Stokes (33). The English team had five wickets in hand with just 57 runs more to win, but Wagner spoiled their party.
Wagner had both Root and Stokes out slogging and then nervelessly held catches in the deep to help remove Stuart Broad (11) and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes for 35.
Foakes's wicket left tailenders Jack Leach and James Anderson needing seven runs for victory, and Anderson smacked a boundary off Wagner to trim the margin to two runs.
Wagner came again and had Anderson caught down the leg side for four to trigger jubilation among the New Zealand players and fans.
It was only the fourth win in the history of test cricket by a team asked to follow on, and the second time a team had won a test by a single run after West Indies beat Australia by a run in Adelaide in January 1993.
England had won the first Test by 267 runs, which means the trophy for the two-matches series was shared by the teams with a 1-1 result.
(With agency inputs)
