Rated against England

town Mitchell looked the part with a composed knock and showed he could be worthy backup if required in Australia where he learned his cricketing craft. Handy with the ball, but more in a stock role than genuine wicket-taker.

MITCHELL SANTNER

2 innings, 149 runs at 74.5, HS

126; 81 overs, 4 wickets at 41.25, BB 3-77

Rating: 7.5

Looked a marginal selection but rose to the task at Bay Oval with a memorable double including a maiden test century. Couldn’t quite run through England on day five after knocking over the tourists’ top order on a madcap evening. Still not an out and out attacking spinner like Nathan Lyon but will be hard to leave out in Australia where he made a handy debut in Adelaide four years ago.

TRENT BOULT

37 overs, 1 wicket at 103, BB

1-97

Rating: 4

A rare lean test for Boult in his home town but suffered his injury in the first innings, sidelining him for Hamilton. The muscle strain around the ribs on his right side will now be the most-watched injury in New Zealand Cricket as he races to be fit for Perth. How important is his inclusion? In two pink ball tests, against Australia and England, Boult has 16 wickets at 12.5.

TIM SOUTHEE

89 overs, 7 wickets at 34, BB

4-88

Rating: 7

Continued his solid test form on flat surfaces and turned the match at the Mount when it looked as if England would get away to a big one in their first innings. Not quite as effective in Hamilton with his mate Boult sidelined but was still secondhighest wicket-taker from either side. Will be hoping for more swing with the pink ball in Perth and looms as a key man there. NEIL WAGNER

87 overs, 13 wickets at 19.84, BB 5-44

Rating: 9

The go-to man who never lets his skipper down, Wagner got due reward for his lion-hearted efforts with a man of the series gong in Hamilton. To average under 20 on two docile pitches was mindboggling, as he snared more than double the wickets of England’s top bowler Sam Curran. After a heavy recent workload the only question is, can he play all three in Australia? He’ll be tough to leave out.

MATT HENRY

33 overs, 1 wicket at 87, BB 1-87 Rating: 5

Edged out Lockie Ferguson to be Boult’s replacement and was solid, creating early chances but minimal swing and seam made it hard work. He now averages 48.46 in test cricket but may be worth a go in Perth if Boult is out and they expect the pink ball to move around. Otherwise may struggle to feature in the top XI.

Not used: Lockie Ferguson, Todd Astle, Tom Blundell

PHOTOSPORT Daryl Mitchell joins an exclusive club to score a half-century on test debut for New Zealand.

GETTY IMAGES BJ Watling’s epic knock of 205 set up New Zealand’s first test victory at Bay Oval.

AP Well batted: Test century No 19 for Ross Taylor in a timely knock before Australia.

Black Caps swing bowler Trent Boult missed his first test since March, 2017, after suffering an injury at Mount Maunganui.