THE STATS OF SHAME

England’s total of 58 was the sixth-lowest in their 996-match history and they were lucky not to break their all-time record. At 27 for nine, they were still 18 short of equalling their worst-ever score — 45 against Australia at Sydney way back in 1886-87. As it was, this was still their worst effort against New Zealand, beating 64 at Wellington in 1977-78. Not since 1976, when they lost to West Indies at Headingley, have England suffered five ducks in the same Test innings, a figure that equals their all-time record. Back then, though, three of the five were tailenders. This time, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad all fell without scoring. For only the second time in their history, England’s 10th wicket outscored the first nine, with Craig Overton and Jimmy Anderson adding 31. The only other occasion came against West Indies at The Oval in 1980, when Peter Willey and Bob Willis took England to a draw by transforming their second-innings 92 for nine into 209 for nine. Trent Boult and Tim Southee became the first new-ball pair to bowl unchanged through a completed Test innings since Pakistan’s Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis dismissed Sri Lanka for 74 at Kandy in 1984. It was only the fifth time a Test team had been bowled out in the game’s opening session. The previous instance took place at Trent Bridge three years ago, when Stuart Broad memorably ran through Australia with figures of eight for 15. England were skittled in only 20.4 overs — their third-shortest Test innings. At Melbourne in 1901-02, Australia bowled them out for 61 in 15.4 overs and at Port-of-Spain in 1993-94, West Indies’ Curtly Ambrose destroyed them for 46 in 19.1. On that occasion, Broad claimed his 300th Test wicket. On the first day at Auckland, he ticked off No 400, as New Zealand opener Tom Latham picked out Chris Woakes at square leg.