New Zealand beat England by just one run in the second-Test thriller on Tuesday to draw the series despite having been forced to follow on in Wellington.
New Zealand set England a target of 258 runs to win, but the visitors were all out for 256 in dramatic scenes as the two-Test series finished 1-1.
Neil Wagner took the decisive wicket of James Anderson as New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Blundell pulled off a diving catch to make history. “Amazing achievement, hats off to everyone, everyone kept fighting,” said Wagner, who finished with 4-62.
“That’s the characteristics of this team, they played well, credit where it’s due, but we found a way of contributing,” he added.
Blundell was delighted to hang on to the tumbling catch. “Saw it well and luckily it went in clean. Pretty happy,” said the wicketkeeper.
It was only the fourth occasion a team has won a Test after being asked to follow on and the first time for New Zealand. England managed it twice, against Australia in 1894 and 1981, while India beat Australia in 2001. It was the first time England have lost a Test after forcing their opponents to follow on.
