Gritty New Zealand tail secure draw and series win

Gritty tailenders Ish Sodhi and Neil Wagner held out for a dramatic draw in the second Test today to give New Zealand the series 1-0 and extend England's dismal away record.

England were just four wickets from victory when the second new ball was taken before tea but they could only prise out one more until the last ball of the match when Wagner's dismissal ended the rearguard pair's resistance.

They added just 37 runs in 188 deliveries after Colin de Grandhomme was the seventh wicket to fall, but by that stage only survival mattered for New Zealand who finished on 256 for eight when Wagner fell for seven and bad light ended play eight balls early.

The draw gave New Zealand the series 1-0 after they won the first Test by an innings and 49 runs and it stretched England's winless away record to 13 Tests.

Any hopes New Zealand had of reaching 382 to win back-to-back Tests disappeared at the start of the final day when Stuart Broad took two wickets with the first two balls.

From there, England were chasing eight further wickets for victory while New Zealand battled to hang on with 83 from opener Tom Latham, a 57-run stand by de Grandhomme (45) and Sodhi, and then Sodhi and Wagner's stubbornness.

Sodhi ducked, weaved, slashed and took hits to the body as he produced his third Test 50, facing 168 balls, while Wagner faced 103 balls for his seven.

Joe Root stacked fielders round the bat, and spinner Jack Leach had eight in close catching positions as the number of remaining overs sank below six. But edges flew just wide of outstretched arms, adding to England's frustration.

- Early Broad strikes -
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