Captain’s disappointment

to receive a brutish blow to his right index finger just before stumps – and then, after receiving lengthy treatment, he gloved the next menacing short one down the leg side to the wicketkeeper.

It left England 132 for three, 237 runs short of making the Kiwis bat again, and up against it to bat out 98 more overs to salvage a stalemate.

Asked how Root had taken the late setback, Broad said: “I’ve not seen him – I think he’s still sat in the toilet. We were watching from the viewing area, and he came straight in and put his bat down and went straight into the back room.”

Broad added: “Trent Boult has got a bouncer bang on… I think it was a really good short ball, at the left shoulder.

“Maybe I’m in the bowler’s union, but you’ve got to credit him sometimes – good bouncer to rap a batter on the finger, and then a good follow-up. Well bowled.

“It was a real shame to lose Joe to the last ball of the day. We all felt it, after he’d played so brilliantly as well. But it proves there are runs to be had out there.

“If you’d said at 20 for seven, or 27 for nine [on day one], there was a chance of drawing the game, we’d have bitten your hand off.”

New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls, who had earlier completed his century, backed his bowlers to make the most of helpful conditions to close out victory.

“It seemed a bit more up and down, variation in bounce when the ball is a bit harder,” he said.

“It’s going to be a good test to take seven wickets on day five to win a Test match.”