New Zealand v England Cricket Score: New Zealand’s stunning Test win by one run

England became only the fourth team in Test history to lose the follow-on when New Zealand’s Neil Wagner dismissed last-man James Anderson to seal an unforgettable one-off win in Wellington.

In what is sure to be one of the most touching contests ever seen in the grand old format, England stumbled to the line when Anderson split Wagner on the leg side to leave England 256 chasing 258.

It was a stunning conclusion to proceedings, and Ben Stokes’ men joined the ranks of Australia in 1894, 1981 and 2001 as the only sides ever to suffer defeat after sending the opposition straight back into bat.

Stokes made that decision after a 226-run first innings lead but lost control of the game as the Black Caps struck with brilliant determination to take things deep into the fifth day.

England looked set to win the game on a couple of occasions as Joe Root (95) led a 121-run partnership with Stokes and Ben Foakes’ 33 took the chase within seven runs of success. But New Zealand refused to lie down and scrapped relentlessly to take the game to a nerve-wracking conclusion.

Wagner was the hero with figures of four for 62, dismissing both Stokes and Root in the space of four balls, then showed sharp nerve to catch Anderson when one miscalculation could have cost him everything. He was also on hand for a tough catch to Foakes, just as the Surrey gloveman seemed to rise above the drama.

It was only the second defeat England have suffered in 12 matches under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullam and, like almost everything they’ve done since taking over, it came with a jaw-dropper.

The seeds of England’s defeat were sown in the top order, which caused some dismissals, but Foakes and Leach almost saved them.

43 were needed as they rallied and planted the ball firmly in the New Zealand field, but Foakes was excellent to guard the strike and smash the wicket.

Leach was happy to reprise the role he made famous at Headingley in the 2019 Ashes when his 17-ball absence gave Stokes a stunning victory.

Foakes handled things steadier as he made the required runs at single figures and it was a big shock when he blundered to pull Southee to fine leg.

When Anderson broke the thick atmosphere with a boundary with a flourish, leaving one to draw and two to win, everyone present knew the score was just one ball away.

The ball fell in favor of New Zealand, with Anderson barely able to pull away from the crease. He didn’t even call DRS and accepted his and England’s fate as the Black Caps celebrated wildly.

Leach, who had bowled 71 minutes and 31 deliveries when he was not out, was staring off into the distance as he was now in the middle of one of England’s most enthralling wins and one of their most gut-wrenching defeats.

There will certainly be some debate about the wisdom of the decision to go ahead, especially given Stokes’ knee problem and his inability to provide more than two moves in the match. England’s remaining bowlers certainly chased down the New Zealanders’ tenacious second-innings resistance, but they will still rue the way they failed to kill off the game on day five.

Questions may also be asked about umpire Chris Gaffaney, who decided not to call Wagner a wide as he dragged one way down the leg side just before dismissing Anderson.

At no other stage of the match did such a margin call hardly catch a glimpse of attention, but when an extra run would have leveled the scores, it may not be so easily forgotten.

England reflect that things might have been simpler, if less exciting, had it not been for a sloppy first hour that cost them four points out of 27.

Nightwatchman Ollie Robinson lasted just three overs, opener Ben Duckett flashed to slip his feet on the concrete and Ollie Pope was completely unconvincing with his 14. But the costliest was the loss of an in-form Harry Brook without facing the ball.

Root lured him into a mad single that was left for dead on the non-strikers head. With four centuries in the last five Tests, including 186 in the previous innings, his unwitting sacrifice was a body blow.

Root went a long way to make amends before following Stokes’ lead and falling straight to Wagner’s short-ball stuff. This set up a top-class finish, with England at their best at the crucial moment.