Neil Wagner excels as New Zealand defeats in an unlikely victory

• Neil Wagner excels as New Zealand defeats in an unlikely victory.
• Neil Wagner got four wickets and held two key catches.
• England won the first test in Mount Maunganui by 267 runs.

New Zealand completed “Mission Improbable” by defeating England by one run on a tense day five after being forced to follow on in the second Test. Neil Wagner got four wickets and held two key catches.

It was only the second occasion a side had won a Test by a single run, following West Indies’ victory over Australia in Adelaide in 1993, and only the fourth victory by a team requested to follow on in the history of Test cricket.

On a beautiful Tuesday at Basin Reserve, Joe Root (95) and Ben Stokes (33) established a 121-run stand to reduce the gap to 57 runs with five wickets in hand after New Zealand had set England 258 to win.

Enter Wagner, who helped dismiss Stuart Broad (11) and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes for 35 by having each of them out slogging and then calmly holding catches in the deep.

After Foakes’s dismissal, Jack Leach and James Anderson were left needing seven runs to win. Anderson hit a boundary off Wagner to reduce the deficit to two runs.

The New Zealand players and supporters rejoiced as Wagner came back and caught Anderson down the leg side for four.

Wagner, who finished with 4-62 in the fourth innings, said, “It’s a great one this and we’ll celebrate it well.

“Hats off to everyone; it’s an incredible accomplishment to which everyone contributed, definitely. Just keep competing; that’s what this squad is about.

That’s exactly how this team is; we never tire of standing up for one another.

England won the first test in Mount Maunganui by 267 runs, and the two-game series ended in a 1-1 draw.

As England captain Ben Stokes forced the follow-on, New Zealand put up 483 runs in their second innings, and Kane Williamson was voted Man of the Match for his outstanding 132.

In terms of what Test cricket is all about, Stokes remarked, “That game as a whole was absolutely magnificent.”

“When “Wags” started, they had the game in the bag. Even though things don’t always go as planned, wasn’t it a decent decision?”

Harry Brook, a talented young batsman for the tourists, was chosen Man of the Series.

As England resumes on 48 for one in the morning, they will reflect on what could have been.

Although Root and Stokes contributed to their dismissals, they were lauded for steadiing the pursuit after four wickets went in quick succession.

After a bouncer from Wagner, Stokes tossed the bat and top-edged to square leg, where runner Tom Latham made the catch.

With a mistimed pluck to Michael Bracewell at midwicket, Root, who had batted magnificently in a 113-ball innings, joined the attack on Wagner.

Broad attempted to slog his team over the line, but Matt Henry was pushed directly to Wagner at third man, who was out for 11.

Although Foakes and Leach brought England to within seven runs, tailenders were exposed when Foakes pushed captain Tim Southee to fine leg and diving Wagner collected a low catch.

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