Wellington, Feb 28: New Zealand completed a dramatic fightback on the last day to beat England by one run on Tuesday and become only the fourth team in history to win a Test after being forced to follow-on.
On a day of constant twists and turns, Joe Root scored 95 in a partnership of 121 with Ben Stokes (33) which appeared to have secured England’s victory and a 2-0 win in the two-match series.
Root and Stokes were out within a run of each other with 56 runs still needed and the match, which had been heading England’s way, tilted back in favour of New Zealand with seven wickets down and the lower-order exposed.
Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes then made 35, facing down the New Zealand attack and shepherding the tailenders to guide England within sight of victory.
But in another twist, Foakes was out with seven runs still needed.
Last man James Anderson clubbed a four down the ground which left England two runs from a match and series victory. Then in the last, dramatic moment, Anderson was caught down the leg side by a diving Tom Blundell from the bowling of Neil Wagner.
In a defining comeback for Wagner and his short-pitch bowling, he took 4/62, dismissed Root and Stokes and held three catches on the final day to seal New Zealand’s narrowest Test win.
England twice and India once are the only other teams to have won a Test after having to follow.
The last occasion was in 2001 when India beat Australia by 171 runs at Eden Gardens.
The New Zealanders were heavily beaten in the first Test and were again well behind in the game after the first innings in Wellington before the miraculous win. (PTI)
