Ish Sodhi and Neil Wagner have thwarted England in Christchurch’s gloom to hand New Zealand a dramatic series-clinching draw.
A gripping second Test went down to Tuesday’s final session during which the tailenders withstood the desperate tourists for nearly two hours in fading light.
Wagner fell in the final over, bowled by England captain Joe Root, but bad light was then called, with the hosts at 8-256.
It hands them a 1-0 series win, their first over England since 1999, after a big first Test win in Auckland.
Legspinner Sodhi was unbeaten on 56 off 168 balls, while Wagner ground out seven runs off 103, putting on 37 runs off 31.2 overs after Colin de Grandhomme had departed for 45.
Sodhi’s 200-minute vigil bordered on heroic, having been struck on the forearm soon after tea which needed treatment, along with another stinger to a finger.
His belligerence meant an ill Tim Southee wasn’t required to bat, along with No.11 Trent Boult.
Sodhi reached his third half-century near the end, to the roar of a hardy crowd sitting through cold conditions.
Wagner offered little more than a dead bat or evasive action to a host of short-pitched balls sent his way.
Root tried everything but was frustrated at every turn on a Hagley Oval pitch offering little life.
Close catchers surrounded the bat throughout the final stanza but a number of uncontrolled shots fell just out of their reach.
The result means England return home having gone 13 offshore Tests without victory. Seven of them came in a forgettable Australasian Test summer which included a 4-0 Ashes hammering.
They controlled the last two days and appeared to be across the line on Tuesday when claiming four top-order scalps inside the opening hour.
That included wickets from the first two balls of the day from Stuart Broad.
Opener Jeet Raval’s exit for his overnight 17 was followed by captain Kane Williamson’s golden duck. Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls were each dismissed for 13.
Opener Tom Latham (83 off 207 balls) and wicketkeeper BJ Watling (19 off 66) were resolute but their departures not long after lunch kept England on top.
Broad, Mark Wood and debut spinner Jack Leach all bagged two wickets, but none of them had the answer against a tail who had also rescued New Zealand in the first innings, after collapsing to 5-36.
New Zealand finished 126 runs short of winning the Test, a scenario which was never on the radar throughout the final day.
The hosts end a busy summer on a high and hold onto a Test ranking of fourth. They beat the West Indies 2-0 in December.
They aren’t scheduled to play any format for six months, when they’re away to Pakistan.
Fifth-ranked England face a busy home summer, hosting tours from Pakistan, Australia and India.
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