Joe Root and Ben Stokes both fell agonisingly short of a hundred after rescuing England from a dire position on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s on Thursday.
At stumps, England — having lost the toss and struggling at 4-30 when Stokes went to the crease — had recovered to 7-354.
Root (98) and Stokes (92) put on 161 for the fifth wicket.
Jos Buttler (67) and Moeen Ali (49 not out) then added 103 before the wicket-keeper was lbw to Trent Boult off the last ball of the day.
“We got into a bit of a hole in the first 45 minutes but to finish on 354 for seven, we would have taken that,” Stokes told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special.
“Rooty over the last 18-20 months has been in incredible form, and when you are in the middle with his record it fills you with confidence,” said Stokes.
As early wickets fell, it looked as if debutant New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry, who led the Black Caps’ attack with three for 93, would be the star of the day.
“I suppose it was a great start to Test match cricket,” said Henry, who took two wickets for four runs in seven balls to dismiss England captain Alastair Cook and Ian Bell.
“Joe Root and Ben Stokes fought back well but we hung in there, as that last wicket showed.
“It is amazing to make a debut for New Zealand and to make it at Lord’s is an incredible feeling,” the 23-year-old Canterbury paceman added.
England entered the match dealing with the fall-out from the sacking of coach Peter Moores and the furore surrounding Kevin Pietersen’s continuing exile from the side.
They were also up against a reinvigorated New Zealand side fresh from a run to the final of the World Cup where England failed to win a match.
Yet more embarrassment beckoned before two of England’s ‘young guns’, the 24-year-old Root and the 23-year-old Stokes who turned the tide in the first of this two-match series.
Debutant England opener Adam Lyth was caught behind off Tim Southee for seven then the hosts lost three wickets for five runs in 15 balls.
Boult had Gary Ballance caught at third slip for one before Cook (16) fell when, beaten for pace by Henry, he top-edged an attempted hook through to wicket-keeper BJ Watling.
Henry then produced a cracking delivery to dismiss Bell for one, the ball pitching on off stump and holding its line.
At lunch, England were 4-113 with Root 49 not out and left-hander Stokes unbeaten on 36.
Afterwards Stokes — the New Zealand-born son of former Kiwi rugby league international Ged Stokes but raised in England — upped the tempo.
He went from 64 to 89 in just 11 balls, including a pulled six off Henry.
However, Stokes — eyeing what would have been just a second Test hundred following his 120 against Australia in Perth in 2013, was bowled deliberately leaving a delivery from off-spinner Mark Craig.
Stokes trudged off, having faced just 94 balls, including 15 fours and a six.
Root too missed out on a ton when, two runs shy of what would have been his third Test hundred in successive years at Lord’s, he under-edged a cut off Henry and was caught behind by Tom Latham, deputising for the injured Watling.
The Yorkshireman batted for more than three-and-a-half hours, facing 161 balls including 11 fours.
Nudge
Guest
I've got your money now, so not going broke
Danno74
Guest
Great innings against Anderson and Broad swinging the ball, looks the best Kiwi batsman since M Crowe.
Cantab
Guest
The lead could have been more, but I'll take being ahead of the game by 2 wickets and 60 runs.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Morning of day 3 and Broad is once again utterly wasting the new ball.
Bobbo7
Guest
How good is Kane Williamson. Oozes class!
Blades
Guest
They should have replaced Moeen Ali with Rashid and Broad with Plunkett. Moeen Ali is a decent batsmen, but they need a specialist spinner. Broad has been dreadful for a long long time now.
Danno74
Guest
Strange move batting Ali at 8, he needs to bat higher as he is a specialist batsman who bowls a bit, would liked to have seen Rashid bowl.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
England's attack looked toothless yesterday, as it did in the Tests against the Windies (apart from Anderson). The pitch is pretty flat and NZ batted well but Eng's attack is a huge concern for them. Playing Moeen as a specialist bowler is a strange move...if he is the best spinner in the country then their cupboard is unbelievably bare.
jamesb
Guest
Stumps day 2 England 389 NZ 2/303 Williamson 92* Taylor 47*
Cantab
Guest
different game now. Thought Bmac made the right call.
Nudge
Guest
Yeah I feel I need to remove a couple of my posts. Great work New Zealand.
daniel
Guest
Lucky you dont work for a bookmaker they would go broke. Cricket is about being adaptable its just silly to say win the toss bat first. Maybe in Australia that's true but Australia is only one place in the world they play cricket.
Targa
Guest
They scored 690 against Pakistan in the UAE - the same attack that destroyed Australia. I would be disappointed with anything less than 550. Williamson got 240 not out in his last test innings - I bet he's eyeing another double
Alex L
Roar Rookie
2/300 Looks like a pretty ordinary attack from here!
Bobbo7
Guest
As I suspected, this is road. NZ 130-0. England really needed 500 here
Sylvester
Guest
NZ has two very effective swing bowlers - and McCullum is going to bat first in an early season test in England on a greenish wicket? Yeah right...
jamesb
Guest
Update Day 2 England 389 NZ 0/44
Blades
Guest
Normally I'd agree, but some of the blackcap batsmen only got back from the IPL 2 days beforehand. Best to get in a little more practice.
Colin N
Guest
"is the English top order really that fragile?" Yes! In fairness Balance has been outstanding but he's always coming in early and trying to dig England out of a hole, but Cook is still out of form and Lyth is a newbie.
Hayley
Guest
Didn't Australia struggle against Pakistan in the tests in the UAE late last year. You know who didn't?