Play will start half an hour early, at 9.30pm BST, to make up some of yesterday’s lost time. That extra half hour could be crucial for New Zealand as they push to take these last eight wickets inside two days.

This is it, then, the 65th and final day of a bumper year of Test cricket for England’s men’s team. They’ve saved the worst for last, though we might cut them a bit of slack after such a draining year. England have played 17 Tests, one short of the all-time record, and the players look ready to put on a silly hat, pull some crackers and forget about the challenges of the wobble seam for a bit.

562 runs Australia, The Oval, 1934

434 runs India, Rajkot, 2024

425 runs West Indies, The Oval, 1976

409 runs Australia, Lord’s, 1948

405 runs Australia, Lord’s, 2015

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