Jimmy Anderson takes precisely two balls to strike with the new nut, getting one to lift sharply off the pitch, take the shoulder of BJ Watling's bat and fly to third slip, where Joe Root takes a brilliant diving snag. Top-class innings from Watling, he's done his job superbly.

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Michael Allen: These two-Test series are always unsatisfactory. Test cricket would be more meaningful if all series were standardised to consist of five Tests. Two divisions of eight countries - England, Australia, NZ, SA, WI, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Playing each other home and away in a 4 year cycle. Bottom team relegated to second division.

David Smith, Morecambe: Adam Lyth was the top slip catcher last season, why field him in the covers or mid-wicket? No wonder we drop catches.

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The new ball is taken as soon as it becomes available, and interestingly, it's thrust into the youthful hands of Mark Wood, rather than the callused paws of grizzled veteran Stuart Broad. Watling reaches to pummel a square-drive behind point, bringing up the 50 partnership with that boundary.

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Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"If you are Stuart Broad, you catch those one in 10, two in 10 possibly, it was a very hard chance. "

Andrew Savill: Got an 11am exam delayed by half an hour... last minute revision or follow the opening half hour of the morning session?

rob jones: NZ to get to a quick 380 - 400. We'll fall 100 short of it.

Juxtaposed: Today McCullum will demonstrate to Cook how to make a timely declaration and be a man about it.

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Another one down, but it would have been absolute beauty. Mark Craig drives Anderson aerially to mid-off, where Stuart Broad puts it down leaping to his left. Went with his top hand, Paul Collingwood-style - was that the right tactic? Four drops now for England in this innings - they haven't all been easy, but they've hurt England, no question.

David Lalljee: Are the England bowlers listening to "The Analyst"?! Try a slower ball against the tail...

Chris Baker: Not sure that weather forecast could possibly be worse for England... windy afternoon on last day! Good luck.

Craig gets his first boundary of the morning with a flowing, easy drive through mid-off. High right elbow, very nice-looking stroke. Then he repeats the trick with an absolutely identical shot. New Zealand doing a nice job of adding quick runs before the new cherry.

Simon Hughes
BBC Test Match Special

"Bowlers lose their discipline against the tail, because they think that is the quickest way to get them out. The red mist descends on the fast bowlers and they try too hard.

"They should just stick to normal cricket. They never bowl slower balls and it is an oversight by bowlers. They practise them constantly but none in this game or the previous game. The slower ball is the most beautiful deceit, the batsman is in the wrong position, has a big back lift, he is going to be too early on the shot and sky it or top-edge it to the fielder."

Alastair Cook is sporting three jumpers, as is his custom in this chilly weather. Long-sleeve over the top of two sleeveless - not the configuration I would have gone with, but then again I don't have 27 Test hundreds. He will be the big key to England's hopes of saving this Test.

Watling tucks two off his pads off Anderson.

Simon Hughes
BBC Test Match Special

"I think there is a combination of things. To start with, there is an assumption that fast bowlers bowling to tailenders, if they rough them up and bowl a couple of bouncers that is good enough because in the past that has been the quickest way to freak out the tailenders and they give away their wicket as a result.

"Tailenders now are much better batsmen, they practice more and they are better protected. So they aren't nearly as scared as they used to be. There are no out-and-out rabbits like New Zealand's Chris Martin now, so the tactic of bouncing them out is flawed and doesn't work to the same degree because the tailenders are better."

Mark Wood opens up from the other end - he's been a real positive for England in this up-and-down series. A big ask for him to nip a batsman out here with the old ball though. Mark Craig is a very capable batsman, with a Test average of 32, and he's back into his stride with a drive through mid-off.

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Jeremy, Worthing: The old adage, if three pace bowlers can't do it, four ain't gonna do it neither, still seems to stand. Moeen Ali is not a front line spinner, he is a batting all rounder who genuinely spins the ball and will take wickets but he will be expensive. England must play a specialist spinner who's learnt his trade bowling lots of overs, that can tie up an end when situation requires. Batting at eight ain't gonna do Ali's batting any good. If picked, Stokes and Ali must bat in the top seven, allowing a specialist spinner

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Watling defends his first few deliveries from Anderson, but he's soon up and running with a classy stroke, clipping an overpitched delivery through mid-on for four. And thus awakened, he picks up three with another sweetly timed shot, punching Anderson through the covers. Seven off the over, good, brisk start for New Zealand.

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We're nearly ready to go. Five overs until the new ball, in case you were wondering. With the old one in his hand, Jimmy Anderson...

Amen to that, Andrew. Whatever the result, this has been a superb series, and New Zealand have been magnificent.

The players are out on the pitch. BJ Watling and Mark Craig resuming at the crease for New Zealand...

Will Collins, Yorkshire: Yesterday I accidentally put a ladder through my car windscreen. A record breaking run chase could pull me out of the sulk this has put me in.

Andrew Myatt: Why on earth are we only having two Tests against this inspirational NZ side. They merit three if not five!

Steven: If England haven't removed BJ Watling in the first 10 overs, pack it up.

BBC Radio Test Match Special

New Zealand bowler Tim Southee on TMS last night: "I think it is an exciting way to play the game and anyone who is watching it is enjoying it. There is enough there (in the wicket) but saying that there is still value for shots as well. Early wickets is key in any game you play.

On BJ Watling: "He is just a gutsy, determined player. He is a guy who you love to see do well because he is the last one to leave training and the first one to come in, so it is always good to see him get the rewards for the hard work he puts in. He is a guy that has just grown of age in the last couple of years, whether it is with the gloves, in the field or with the bat."

Yesterday provided yet another instalment in this series of warp-speed cricket, as 435 runs were scored in an exhilarating day of batting.

People talk about teams having another gear, but this New Zealand side appear not so much to have a gear-lever as a magic fast-forward button. They are capable of moving effortlessly into a high tempo that makes you half expect to see fuzzy grey lines travel across the screen and players jabbering away to each other in a series of high-pitched squeaks.

What will worry England is the prospect that New Zealand's lower order - never shy of playing a few strokes - could add quick runs this morning...