With four men around the bat and a catcher at short extra cover, New Zealand tempt Stokes with a gap at mid-off - and the Durham man clubs a four through the vacant area. The wind swirls around Headingley as a fifth close catcher is brought in, but Stokes thrusts his pad at a ball pitching outside leg.

With 38 overs gone, if England survive into the evening session, they can expect to face the second new ball.

Tony Cocozza: I want England to win as much as the next passionate England supporter, but it would be a travesty of justice were NZ not to leave with a drawn series.

"You were in my newspaper this morning - they've announced the oldest fossil in Yorkshire has been dug up," Aggers teases Geoffrey as Southee replaces Boult again at the Football Stand End. With half-an-hour until lunch, Cook stoically plays out a maiden over.

Image source, PA

Mikey Knight-Robson: Dear Rain, apologies for complaining so often. Please come back. Sincerely, England cricket supporters.

Craig McMillan: What's the weather like up there? Hoping some big black clouds are on the horizon.

Alistair Smalley: Time for Alastair to dig in and lead the rain dance from out in the middle.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"Stokes could really be useful here. Craig mixes up the good balls with a lot of indifferent stuff - he hasn't been punished for it so far this morning, but I think Stokes will punish him, which might dent his confidence."

Another loose delivery from Craig - the counter-attacking Stokes whacks him for four through extra cover. England may be happy to see the back of the off-spinner if Stokes can hit him out of the attack.

Image source, Reuters

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"Boult hasn't got a lot of swing today, it's been more cut or seam movement. The good thing for New Zealand, if we do get the full overs in, is that they'll get a new ball."

Stokes seems more in tune this morning than any of his three predecessors (Ballance, Bell and Root) were - he and Cook manage three singles off Boult's over.

Meanwhile, on TMS at lunchtime, Aggers will be assembling his panel of journalists to discuss all things England. Expect fireworks.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Headingley

"It's fair to say that the chase has been aborted. Headingley is silent bar the claps and shouts of the New Zealand fielders. By my reckoning, this would be the Black Caps' first Test win in England since 1999."

Stokes is into double figures as he clips Craig off his legs for three, Craig has been effective today but he has still strayed with his line at times, tossing up a few "gimmes" on the left-handers' legs. An eclectic over ends as he spins one past Cook's forward prod, but the England skipper is then firm in defending the last delivery.

Dennis Edwards: Ian Bell is my favourite England cricketer, but he's been so out of touch recently, I think it's time to give him a rest.

Happy to Be Tommy: Ian Bell yet again shows his grit and determination. You wouldn't want him in a ditch, let alone trenches.

Image source, Reuters

Alison Mitchell
BBC Test Match Special

"Boult has done well to persist with this full length, not the short deliveries that England resorted to."

Geoffrey Boycott on TMS thinks the weather is "too cold" for the locals to take advantage of the £5 admission. Surely they are used to the Yorkshire climate? Ben Stokes must be used to wrapping up warmly back where he grew up in Cumbria - sporting a long-sleeved sweater today, he delicately guides Boult off his legs for four.

Image source, AP

Ellis: Our three, four & five in the two innings scored a combined 49. How long has it been for such a paltry contribution from the England upper-middle order? Where the Test was lost!

Andrew in York: When our top order collapse like this it's like they've never held a bat before.

Duncan in Isleworth: You know it's an awful batting display when the host television broadcaster doesn't even cut to an ad break at the fall of a wicket.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"Cook is playing as well as ever. You've got to be positive in defence, not just circumspect. Craig bowls too many bad balls - he only bowls you two wicket-taking balls an over."

Image source, Getty Images

Latham is taking a battering at short leg as Cook sweeps one straight into his forearm. So often, it's the job of the junior batsman to "take a few for the team" in that role. Just a single from Craig's over.

Russ Hawker: And so the collapse begins... all out for 150.

That was sent after the Ballance wicket, does Russ know something we don't?

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"Alastair Cook now has 1,000 Test runs against New Zealand. He also has 1,000 Test runs against four other countries: Sri Lanka, West Indies, India and Australia. He's the first Englishman to score 1,000 Test runs against five different countries."

Image source, Getty Images

New Zealand are sensing blood here - after only a couple of overs of Southee, they turn back to their pace spearhead Trent Boult. Cook sees him off before pinching the bowling with a single.

"There's a guy at Surrey who's pretty good", Geoffrey muses, talking about Bell's lack of form. Presumably it's "that guy" who was out for two in their current match. And what a difference a few weeks make - just for once, no-one is questioning Cook's place in the team as a batsman.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"I didn't think Bell's shot or Joe Root's shot were any good. You know the ball's going to spin in to you, to play it into short leg above the deck is poor."

Image source, Getty Images