With two overs to go before the new ball, it's sandy-haired part-time tweaker Kane Williamson into the attack. Ballance plays out a maiden. Tim Southee is going through some pre-bowling aerobics in the field.

Simon Goodall: Goodness me, Ballance has gone from playing as slow as fellow Yorkshireman Boycott, to running like him.

Michael Green: Should never be run-out in Test cricket! #Sloppy

Ed Stockton: Great knock from Lyth but is there a sillier way to get out when you're consolidating a strong position?

A stacked off-side field for Bell, awaiting the miscued drive, but there's nothing wrong with this one, threading Henry through a gap behind backward point. Too short from Henry.

Bryan Waddle
BBC Test Match Special

"You can't criticise Craig's efforts today. He's bowled from both ends and created pressure for New Zealand when they're a bowler short."

John Barlow, Wantage: Can one assume that the extraordinary difference in scoring rates between the two sides these last two days is due to the bowling, ie the Kiwis appear to be keeping the ball pitched up whilst our home team revert so easily to persistently pitching it short, even when they know that the batsmen are past masters at playing the hook and the cover drive?

Ian Bell gets off the mark in style, dancing down the wicket to Mark Craig and launching him over mid-off for a one-bounce four. Craig responds really well, drifting one just past the outside edge.

Bryan Waddle
BBC Test Match Special

"The new ball is only four or five overs away, so Henry is going to have to keep bowling so Boult and Southee can have a rest until then."

That's a handy time for New Zealand to take a wicket, with five overs left until the new ball. If they could whip another one out pronto, it really would be game on. Ian Bell is the new man. Ballance drives Henry through the covers for four.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"I'm not sure who was to blame there, it went to the fielder's left hand but Boult's left-handed. Ballance called, Lyth was a little low setting off and he knew straight away he was gone. I like Lyth, I spoke to him a lot in the West Indies. He's a really good character and he'll have inked himself in for the Ashes on the back of that hundred."

Image source, Reuters

Well that came out of nowhere. England were chugging along nicely in the slow lane, and then suddenly - breakdown. Gary Ballance nudged one to point, but forgot that the man there was the left-handed Trent Boult, who was able to swoop and unleash an accurate throw into Luke Ronchi, who took it smartly and whipped off the bails. Lyth was a foot short of his ground. He gives Ballance a look like he's just run over his cat.

Image source, PA

Now, there's another run-out shout, and this one looks tight. Adam Lyth is the man with a nervous wait...

Henry has recovered his lengths here and sends down a maiden to Lyth.

Stuart Mitchell: Two things I would love right now is for Ballance to get a ton along with Bell - have the top six all in form, with the Ashes looming.

Mark: Lyth looks a far more composed and complete player than those who have opened since Strauss - confidence builder ahead of the Ashes.

Craig has come back really well here - he's bowling really well now, putting the ball in a consistently good area and getting serious dip and grip. Ballance plays out a watchful maiden.

Image source, AP

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"This is like Lord's. Some balls here, if you pitch it up, can do absolutely anything. Lyth has lost a bit of focus here, trying to pull a ball he should have defended."

Muted appeals from New Zealand as Matt Henry gets one to nip back in sharply and rap him on the pad, but it's too high. The next ball Lyth plays a very curious shot, trying to pull a ball swinging back into him on off stump and getting an under-edge that flies just past the stumps and away to the fine-leg boundary. Lucky.

Jonjo in Bristol: Met Gary Ballance's brother out in a bar in Bristol slightly worse for wear a few weeks ago. He ordered a drink from the bar, looked the barman in the eye and said 'Ballance by name, Ballance by nature' and put the glass on his head and jumped around the bar without it falling off his head. Absolutely incredible considering I couldn't even do that sober. The best part was, his mates weren't even surprised they just said 'if you think that's good, you should see Gary'. Reckon we'll get to see that live on TV after an Ashes victory this summer?

Outstanding. What party tricks do you reckon the other members of this England XI have up their sleeves?

A single for Lyth from Craig's first over after drinks. Are New Zealand hanging on for the new ball now? It's due in nine overs.

"It is probably true that he is England's bravest and most determined cricketer since Graham Gooch," BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew writes of Alastair Cook, who broke England's Test run record today.

"When he retires from playing, you can imagine him walking away from cricket completely. I suspect the only place I will see him is at Melton market, buying sheep."

Read Aggers' full column on the BBC Sport website.

Image source, Getty Images

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"You cannot bowl short there to Ballance. He gets most of his runs square on the off side. It'll be interesting to see what the Australians do - Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson, both left-arm over, might cramp him for room."