Broad smashes the ball so hard back at Boult that it hits the left-arm seamer on the forearm in his follow-through - so fiercely that he was trying to protect himself rather than take what would have been a stunning caught-and-bowled. To add insult to injury, they take a run. Wood rotates the strike, and Broad continues his assault, crashing another four back past the stumps and whacking a four through backward point which brings up the fifty stand, to warm applause. A well-earned drinks break for the ninth-wicket pair.

Image source, Getty Images

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"These are critical runs, both from a numerical perspective and also because they are just lifting spirits in the England dressing-room. This is an important and impressive innings from Wood - he looks comfortable in the Test arena. And this is the best innings Broad has played for England for a little while."

Chris Lewis: Yesterday when Cook was out England were 177-1 at the end of the 59th over. 20 overs to the new ball, 20 overs to press home their position before the new ball. Easiest time in match to bat. Why not send in Root or even Stokes to press on and take advantage of the benign conditions? Instead Ballance went in and we only scored 60 in those 20 overs. Why is the order so set in stone. At 10-1 Ballance is the man to go in, but at 177-1 in perfect batting conditions?

Southee is one short of a five-for, but it's been advantage England for the last couple of overs - Wood hammers a four through the covers with a fluent drive of which any top-order batsman would be proud. However, he's fortunate as he nearly chops the last ball of the over onto the stumps. We've had nearly an hour of play, how long before England can see off Southee and Boult? This stand is already worth 41 - the second highest of the innings.

Image source, Getty Images

Jon in Leicester: Some of the texts you've had this morning re: Bell are staggering. Last time Aus were here he won us the series with three centuries from difficult positions. Get behind the team instead of calling for someone's head every time we have a tough session.

Tim in London: Lot of comments here and in the WI illustrate one of England's problems - always looking at the Ashes or elsewhere. Play each match as if it's the only match.

Wood clips Boult quickly past short leg and away for four to mid-wicket, this is now his highest Test score. A single takes him to 12, while the increasingly confident Broad hooks a four through square leg and wide of Watling who is still sweeping on that boundary. A terrific on-drive brings the Nottinghamshire man another three and pushes England past the magic 300 figure, Boult goes round the wicket and Wood helps himself to a couple more to fine leg. 14 from the over - England's best over of the day.

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Ben Newby: Looks like it's up to Broad to ensure we are not behind by the runs he leaked to the NZ tail.

Thomas Measures: If Broad can get 30+ it might do wonders for him. He always seem to bowl better when he gets a score.

Totum: Have a go, play some shots, what's the point of this leave, leave, edge it strategy? We are like turkeys waiting for Christmas.

Wood, who might not mind having a bowl in these overcast conditions, connects well but can only direct the ball straight to captain Brendon McCullum at mid-off. Southee's radar is a little off, sending a couple down the leg side, but another firm off drive beats McCullum's dive and brings Wood a scampered three.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Headingley

"The crowd are always the first to tell us about the weather. There are a couple of umbrellas up."

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"What's looking crucial to me is the 50 runs New Zealand got in that mini-session yesterday morning. That was poor cricket from England, it was a wasteful spell, and it could be the difference between the first innings."

Broad is left fishing at thin air as he plays inside the line and Boult sends one over the stumps.

Rob, exasperated, in Manchester: So, Messrs Broad, Anderson and Cook. Short-pitched bowling the way to go at Headingley? It's four slips and two gullies all the way.

Image source, Getty Images

Bryan Waddle
BBC Test Match Special

"Wood doesn't look the worst lower-order batsman. There's enough to suggest that he might be able to play a role."

A few spots of rain on the TV cameras as Broad chips Boult towards deep mid-wicket and is dropped by the diving BJ Watling, normally to be found behind the stumps but playing as a batsman in this match because of a knee injury he picked up at Lord's. Would have been a terrific grab. Wood is off the mark with a well-timed cover drive for four, a missed hook shot yields another bye over the keeper, and then we have a remarkable moment as the ball flies out of Boult's hands, it disappears high over where leg slip would stand, and is called a no-ball for height before disappearing to the boundary. It certainly wasn't deliberate, and was so high and wide that Broad was in no danger.

Bryan Waddle
BBC Test Match Special

"I think it's important that New Zealand get some sort of lead, because they've got to face Anderson and Broad in these conditions."

Jeremy Coney
Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special

"You just sense that the probing, slightly surgical quality that the New Zealanders are operating with at the moment and the accuracy of the catching, that there is an element of I am only here for so long, particularly with the tail-enders."

Broad, backing away from Southee a little, looks intent on playing a few shots, forcing him through mid-wicket for four, before jabbing his bat down and getting the ball past gully. Three Kiwis give chase and the batsmen run three. Skies are grey and overcast in Leeds, but the rain is holding off for now.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Headingley

"High-quality swing bowling from New Zealand, fully using the second new ball and cloud cover to their advantage. However, an England slide of six wickets for 29 runs is alarming, especially with Johnson, Starc and Harris to come this summer. Also, Adam Lyth's wasteful run-out is starting to look pretty crucial."

Image source, AP

Ben in Daventry: Only a month ago people were denying us any chance of even turning up against NZ. Now 1-0 up in the series, those people are using this success to predict doom in the Ashes! Enough of the pessimism surrounding English cricket! We can't all be Geoffrey Boycott.

Simon in Leeds: Dave in Sunbury your remarks are amazing. Century in Lyth's third Test innings. Shedloads of runs for Yorkshire. Of course he's in for the Ashes series. The Whitby Wizard done good.

Can Mark Wood and his imaginary horse ride to England's rescue? They still trail by 83 as Broad pulls Boult for a single to bring Wood, one of only four right-handers in this England side, on strike. It's as much as he can do to defend the rest of the over.