2nd Test: Chance for England to level series against New Zealand

Sodhi, who feared he may have finished with a broken finger, said it was a hard period to bat through.

His dauntless partner for 107 minutes, Neil Wagner, was the last man out for 7.

Their record stand of 142 helped New Zealand to 192 for six by stumps – and whatever the remaining twists and turns, they had already ensured no one-way traffic here as they bid for a famous series win and England try to avoid ending their conspicuously unsuccessful winter on another low note.

“There was a bit of drama at the end their but Waggy (Wagner) was really good there”.

“I’m very proud of the lads and the way they went about it, how we continued to keep asking questions of their batting”.

“But I loved batting out there with Jonny – a lad I’ve played with and against since about 11 or 12 years old”.

“To think Jimmy has got more than 500 test wickets is pretty incredible really and I’ve been standing at mid-on for a lot of them I think”, Broad said.

New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi, right, prepares to bat during play on the final day of the second cricket test against England at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Resolute opener Tom Latham and wicketkeeper BJ Watling took the hosts to 124-4 at lunch but their 20-over rearguard ended when Watling was caught swishing to the leg side, giving Mark Wood his first scalp of the match.

He showed a doggedness though which frustrated England.

New Zealand batsman Jeet Raval survives a confident appeal from Stuart Broard.

Play was abandoned an hour later.

“If it doesn’t go according to plan, and we still want to win the Test, then we’ll have to review it as it goes along”.

When the New Zealand innings began with a minimum of 137 overs to reach the target, the required run rate was 2.78 per over.

There wasn’t much joy for New Zealand’s bowlers in the session, which had shaped as significant for the match.

Broad – plus two wickets for James Anderson – reduced New Zealand to the depths of 36-5 before Watling and de Grandhomme frustrated England for 50 overs.

One more wicket in Auckland will make him the second Englishman behind Anderson to enter the 400-wicket club and Broad paid glowing tributes to the side’s most potent weapon.

He wasn’t intimidated, even with nine England fielders clustered about the bat in the final overs.

After losing 4-0 to Australia in the Ashes, the tourists were looking for a consolation prize against their trans-tasman neighbours.