The Superman dive saves Roy by a matter of millimetres. Phew...

We've got a run-out review. Is Roy OK? It's oh-so-close...

Enter Mitchell McClenaghan. Hales takes an immediate liking to the new bowler, mowing him over mid-on for four and then getting the full value with a handsome flick into the stands at midwicket. He's not done there though. Oh no. He brutalises another six with a pull that makes a sound like a rifle shot as it whistles off the bat. 16 off the over. It. Is. On.

Image source, AP

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"There is plenty of opportunity to exploit some of these bowlers for the England batsmen. Once you get through Boult and Southee, there are some less experienced players and you can look to attack Nathan McCullum."

Item number one on England's to-do list: put away the loose balls. Jason Roy ticks that one off the agenda by splatting a full toss from Southee to the cover boundary. It's swinging for the New Zealand bowlers, but they haven't made that early breakthrough.

That's better! Alex Hales eyes up a good-length ball from Trent Boult and wallops it into the stands at cow corner, where - good Lord, it's nearly hit New Zealand rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick on the noggin. A smile for the cameras from Fitz. Hales then smacks an overpitched ball from Boult to the mid-off boundary, and England's powerplay is suddenly looking a lot rosier.

Image source, PA

The New Zealand bowlers have moved away from the pads and suddenly the England openers are wondering where the boundaries are going to come from. A vice-tight line from Southee keeps England under the pump.

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Boult is an experienced campaigner for New Zealand, mixing up his lines and lengths and bowling plenty of dot balls. The England pair are inexperienced so they will be feeling a little bit of pressure to get on with it."

The intent is there for all to see from Jason Roy, but the timing continues to elude him. A mistimed pull balloons into the air and lands safe. Trent Boult has an idea and goes to consult with Brendon McCullum. Permission granted. He's going around the wicket to Hales, trying to get a better look at the timbers. You miss, I hit. No mistake from Hales but it's another frustrating over for England, just a single from it. That required run rate is climbing, up to 8.4 now.

Small Man Peaky: If there are two players in England who will be able to ignore the scoreboard pressure it is Root and Buttler. Come on boys.

Suddenly, the pressure is on, the lasso just tightening palpably around the neck of Roy and Hales. Nine dot balls become 10, 11, 12, and the frozen scoreboard feels oppressive as Brendon McCullum cannily tinkers with his fieldsmen. Finally, Roy releases the chokehold, flicking a Southee delivery down to the fine-leg fence. Phew.

Image source, Getty Images

Ben in Windsor: Loving all the optimistic noises about potentially chasing down 400. If you had being saying that last week people would've called for the men in white coats with the big nets. Today it seems plausible, if wildy optimistic. Not many teams chase down 400, however good they are. Bring it on though!

A very fine comeback from the high-class Trent Boult after a wayward opening over. Alex Hales can't lay a glove on his six deliveries, ending the over with an ugly air-swipe. A maiden.

Image source, AFP

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"There's your life young man. A decent delivery from Southee, bowling at the stumps. It went quickly to second slip, but it was a nice height and he should have caught it."

Jason Roy isn't letting Tim Southee settle here. He gets a bit lucky when he pops up a leading edge that lands just short of cover, but his second shot is more deliberate, reaching well outside the off stump to scoop the ball down to the third-man boundary. Then Roy gets a huge life, offering a simple chance to Nathan McCullum at second slip, which the fielder somehow shells after an agonising juggle. Reprieve.

Image source, Reuters

Alex Hales is channelling a character in a 1990s American high-school programme, sporting mismatched black long sleeves under his short-sleeved blue England top. Just missing a backwards baseball cap and a skateboard under the arm. It's a fast start from Hales, clipping Boult fine for four off his first ball and then square-driving the second for another boundary.

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"I like the look of the England batting line-up. They can go hard - Hales and Roy can smash it to all parts if they get going - but if you lose a few wickets it's not the end of the world because you've got Rashid at eight, Billings at seven."

Jason Roy avoids the rather anticlimactic fate he suffered in the first ODI by shouldering arms to Southee's first ball, a leg-side wide. Then the Surrey man gets off the mark with a two into the leg side. And then Roy shows what he can really do, latching on to a short ball from Southee and whacking it to the square-leg boundary.

Phil, thank you. After the Brave New World of their batting display at Edgbaston, that was more of an old-school one-day bowling performance - and not in a good way. But can lightning strike twice? Can England score 400 again? The odds are against them, but with his batting line-up, who knows?

And with that hand you over to James Gheerbrant, who will see you through the England chase. And what a chase it promises to be...