Southee takes six wickets, puts NZ on top

Burns (132) kept the New Zealand attack at bay while wickets tumbled at the other end at regular intervals, with four batsmen being dismissed for ducks. The opener led a painful but charmed life – hit on the head twice, thrown a lifeline when wicketkeeper BJ Watling missed a chance to stump him, and dropped by Southee in the slips off Neil Wagner when he was on 88.

England had resumed the day on 111 for two after rain washed out Day Three. Kyle Jamieson gave New Zealand the perfect start when he dismissed Joe Root (42) with the first delivery of the day. Ollie Pope (22) was the next to go after a solid start, missing an angled delivery from Southee which rapped him on the pads.

Southee also dismissed Dan Lawrence and James Bracey in quick succession, with both batsmen returning to the pavilion for ducks. At that point, a follow-on looked distinctly possible, with England far behind on 140 for six. However, Ollie Robinson provided some resistance and nearly marked his debut with a half-century only to fall at 42. He pulled a short ball to Jamieson at long leg to give Southee his fifth wicket.

Burns was running out of partners, but last man James Anderson frustrated the tourist, and the pair stitched together a 52-run partnership, with Burns reaching his century before becoming Southee’s sixth victim.

Brief scores (at Tea on Day 4): New Zealand (1st innings) 378 in 122.4 overs; England (1st innings) 275 in 101.1 overs (R Burns 132, T Southee 6/43)