WELLINGTON (AFP) – New Zealand beat England by just one run in a second-Test thriller yesterday to draw the series in the most dramatic fashion in Wellington.
The hosts made a slice of history in becoming only the fourth team in 146 years of Test cricket to win after being asked to follow on.
Neil Wagner took the decisive wicket of James Anderson when New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Blundell pulled off a diving catch at the Basin Reserve to seal a memorable, nail-biting triumph.
The home side had fought back to set an attacking England a target of 258 runs to win, but the visitors were all out for 256 as a gripping two-Test series finished 1-1.
It was only the second time in Test cricket that a side has won by one run, matching the West Indies team who beat Australia by the same wafer-thin margin at Adelaide in 1993.
“Amazing achievement, hats off to everyone, everyone kept fighting,” said left-arm pace bowler Wagner, who finished with 4-62 including the key wickets of Ben Stokes and Joe Root.
England skipper Stokes was disappointed to have lost but happy to have played his part in the drama.
