Joe Root savaged over 'awful' moment as New Zealand make Test cricket history

New Zealand have become just the fourth team in cricket history to win a Test match after being forced to follow-on, beating England by one run in an absolute thriller in the second Test. Neil Wagner dismissed Jimmy Anderson for the final wicket as the Black Caps re-wrote the cricket history books.

Starting the day at 1-48 after being set 258 for victory, England lost four quick wickets in extraordinary scenes as Joe Root and Harry Brook were involved in a horrible mix-up. Night-watchman Ollie Robinson was dismissed for 2, before Ben Duckett was caught behind for 33. Ollie Pope was then caught at slip for 14 before Brook was run out by Root in shocking fashion.

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Yet to face a ball and standing at the non-striker's end, Brook was absolutely burned by batting partner Root. The former England captain knocked the ball behind square on the off-side and set off for a quick single.

However Michael Bracewell got to the ball much quicker than Root had anticipated and ran out Brook by a mile. It came as a disastrous blow for England after Brook made a brilliant 186 in the first innings.

"What on earth is going on?" one TV commentator said. "That could be the most important moment of the day. This is extraordinary." After watching a replay the commentator said: "That is the worst thing I've seen in Tests."

Cricket fans and commentators were quick to lay the blame on Root, who appeared to barbecue Brook by calling him through for a single. Cricket convention normally dictates that the non-striker makes the call if the ball is behind square leg.

However Root appeared to make the call himself, leaving Brook with absolutely no hope of making his ground. Brook threw his head back in disbelief after the dismissal before trudging off the ground.

New Zealand make incredible Test cricket history

The dismissal left England reeling at 5-80 and still well short of the 258 they needed for victory. In a boost for England, Root and Ben Stokes managed to steady the ship and took their side to 5-168 at lunch - only 90 runs away from victory.

But disaster struck again when Root and Stokes were dismissed in quick succession after the break, leaving the match on a knife's edge. Stokes departed for 33 off 116 balls, before Root fell on 95 when he was caught by Bracewell off Neil Wagner. Matt Henry then sent Stuart Broad packing to take the eighth wicket, with England still needing 45 runs to win.

Ben Foakes (35 off 57 balls) and Jack Leach (1 off 31) then combined to get England within sight of victory, with Foakes given a huge lifeline by Bracewell. The Kiwi came running in on a ball hit in the air to the outfield, only to see it sail over his head for a boundary.

But Foakes then departed in another huge twist before 40-year-old Jimmy Anderson got England within two runs in stunning scenes. Anderson blasted a boundary off Wagner through the leg side, but the Kiwi bowler eventually got his man when Anderson gloved a ball down the leg-side to the wicket-keeper.

The win for New Zealand makes them just the fourth side ever to win a Test after following on, and the first since India beat Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001. England made 8-435 in their first dig before bowling New Zealand out for just 209.

Stokes then decided to send the Black Caps back in to bat, however the move backfired when New Zealand made 483 in their second dig. Former captain Kane Wiliamson made 132 in a brilliant return to form, while Tom Latham chipped in 83 at the top of the order and Tom Blundell made 90 at No.7.

"It would be pretty special," Williamson earlier said of New Zealand's historic bid. "It's pretty exciting going into day five and we want to make sure our bowling is on. There's all to play for."

England won the first Test by 267 runs and were excited about the prospect of a day five chase. "We're excited about chasing that (target) down tomorrow," said England spinner Leach. "We know how we want to go about it and it's a case of us sticking to that process. We're confident."

Test match wins after following on:

• England v Australia - Sydney, 1894

• England v Australia - Leeds, 1981

• India v Australia - Eden Gardens, 2001

• New Zealand v England - Wellington, 2023

with agencies

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