Oh well! England’s hopes of a 3-0 series win were smashed to smithereens by Will O’Rourke and friends on the second day in Hamilton. Now they – and we, although I suppose you are free to go to bed if you like – must endure the admin of defeat. For the next couple of sessions, England’s bowlers are likely get an insight into how Sisyphus felt.

New Zealand will resume on 136 for three, a lead of 340, with Kane Williamson on 50 and Rachin Ravindra on 2. England will tell themselves they can chase anything. But even in Test cricket’s year of the unexpected, an England win feels impossible.

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