England denied series draw despite Stuart Broad heroics

After a sensational first hour of the last day in Christchurch, England were 2-9 from 8-5 to beat New Zealand and draw their two-Test series 1-1, but they were denied and the Black Caps held on for a 1-0 win.

Stuart Broad dismissed opener Jeet Raval and home skipper Kane Williamson with the first two balls of the morning after the hosts resumed on 42-0 in the hopes of batting out the final three sessions for a draw or chasing down an unlikely target of 382. The draw was 8-11 overnight at Hagley Oval.

James Anderson and left-arm spinner Jack Leach chipped in to leave the hosts reeling at 91-4 and the Three Lions' purring in pursuit of a first win in 13 away Tests.

However, the Kiwis stood firm to be 256-8 at stumps. Gritty left-handed opener Tom Latham - advised by James Milton at 5-2 on racingpost.com - top-scored with 83 but BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Ish Sodhi and Neil Wagner dug in too. Sodhi was unbeaten on a 168-ball 56 when number nine Wagner's wicket, for a 103-ball seven, brought an end to play.

Bet365 and Hills were happy with the second Test draw and the New Zealand series success, with punters having preferred Joe Root's men before and after their first Test humbling in Auckland.

England first-innings centurion Jonny Bairstow was the top series runscorer with 163 runs and ace New Zealand left-armer Trent Boult was the leading wicket-taker with 15. Broad bagged the Three Lions' bowling honours with 11 victims while Henry Nicholls was the Black Caps' best bat with 158 runs.

England begin a two-Test series with Pakistan next month and finish the summer with five Tests against India. In between, they have limited-overs matches against Scotland, Australia and India.

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