England have become just the fourth team in Test cricket history to lose after enforcing the follow-on as New Zealand claimed one of their greatest ever wins in a one-run thriller at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Tailender James Anderson fell to a catch to Tom Blundell down the leg side to Neil Wagner as the Black Caps recorded an epic victory by the barest of margins to trigger jubilation among the New Zealand players and fans.
The tourists had looked on track to pull off a thrilling fightback on day five after Joe Root and captain Ben Stokes combined for a 121-run partnership after they had slumped to 5-80 in pursuit of the target of 258.
But a bumper barrage from veteran quick Neil Wagner worked a treat with the left-armer removing Stokes, battling an apparent knee problem, for a cautious 33 from 116 balls before Root fell five runs short of a century to another bouncer.
Stuart Broad also departed to a catch from a short ball for a breezy 11 off nine deliveries before Ben Foakes for them close with 35 but when he was out to Tim Southee, seven more runs were needed with James Anderson joining a scoreless Jack Leach at the wicket.
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After fending off a series of Wagner short balls, Anderson opened the shoulders to whack a four through midwicket to bring England two runs from the target but they would get no closer.
Neil Wagner celebrates taking a wicket against England. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
The result was only the second time a Test had been decided by one run. Australian tailender Craig McDermott was dismissed by West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh in similar fashion as the tourists won in Adelaide in 1993.
It was just England’s second Test loss in 12 matches since the Bazball era began less than a year ago with New Zealand legend Brendon McCullum coming on board as coach with Stokes appointed captain after Root resigned.
Steve Waugh’s Australian team famously lost the Kolkata Test in 2001 after making India bat again while Ian Botham’s “Miracle of Headingley” in the 1981 Ashes series and an English win over Australia in 1895 are the only other times it has happened.
England resumed on 1-48 in the morning, needing another 210 runs for victory, and were rocked by two wickets in the opening half-hour.
Nightwatchman Ollie Robinson was out for two trying to pull a Tim Southee delivery well wide of off-stump.
He sent a top-edge high behind the slips, with Michael Bracewell jogging back to take the catch.
Opener Ben Duckett was out for 33 three overs later as he went on the attack, caught behind slashing at a wide Matt Henry delivery.
Wagner, on the receiving end of some punishment from England’s batters this series, dismissed Ollie Pope for 14, with the number three steering an edge straight to Tom Latham in the slips.
England’s man of the moment Harry Brook came to the middle but was run out without facing a ball as Root made a shocking call for a single after pushing a Southee ball to the gully.
Bracewell swooped from the slips and threw to the stumps where wicketkeeper Tom Blundell whipped off the bails with Brook well short of his ground.
Stokes was lucky early in his innings, with Henry finding the shoulder of his bat, but the ball pinged harmlessly off Blundell’s gloves.
England won the first Test in Mount Maunganui by 267 runs and victory in Wellington were trying to secure their first Test series win in New Zealand since 2008.
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