Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes steady England ship against New Zealand after Joe Root departs cheaply

Jonny Bairstow helped England recover from 93 for four to keep all three results alive ahead of the final session on day five of the second Test match against New Zealand.

After a promising display with the bat before lunch – mainly thanks to Alex Lees – the visitors hit back by dismissing first Ollie Pope and then the crucial wicket of first-innings centurion Joe Root for just three.

England’s No 3 feathered a brilliant delivery from Matt Henry behind to Tom Blundell before Root’s miscue was well grabbed by Trent Boult down low off his own bowling.

He was well supported by England captain Ben Stokes after a loss of a few wickets after lunch

Ollie Pope was the first to go after the interval, edging a brilliant Matt Henry behind

Opener Lees – who had done well to make it to 44 – then became Tim Southee’s first wicket of the match after being caught behind to leave the visitors just a couple of wickets away from exposing the long England tail.

But after that, Tom Latham’s men met the resistance of Bairstow, who remains not out on 43 from 48 balls alongside his captain Ben Stokes, who has struck a couple of destructive blows – including one six – in his 25. 

England – sitting on 139 for four at tea – however require another 160 more runs in the final session to surpass the 284 scored by Michael Vaughan’s England against the Black Caps in 2004.

Stokes’ men aim to complete a record fourth-innings run chase at Trent Bridge to seal their first Test series victory in 18 months comes after they dismissed New Zealand for 284 earlier in the day.

Joe Root mistimed a Trent Boult delivery and the New Zealand quick took a fine return catch

Alex Lees played well for 44 but then became Tim Southee’s first wicket of the match

The hosts lost Zak Crawley before lunch when he was caught at slip for a four-ball duck

England brought New Zealand’s innings to a close later than they would have liked on day five, but Stuart Broad took two wickets with the old ball.

The source of their frustration was once more Daryl Mitchell and a less common but no less impressive cameo by Boult before he clubbed James Anderson as the final New Zealand wicket to fall.

England almost got off to the perfect start on day five in Nottingham, but Matt Henry was dropped on the second ball of the day by Joe Root at slip off Jack Leach.

However, after playing with great fortitude against the short ball, he eventually edged Broad behind to depart for 18.

Stuart Broad took two wickets on day five to help dismiss the New Zealand lower order

James Anderson then took the final wicket of the New Zealand wicket to dismiss them for 284

Matt Henry was dropped on the second ball of the day but was caught behind off Broad

Broad then struck again in the over before the new ball was made available, with Ben Foakes again taking the catch after the former’s bouncer took the glove of the injured Kyle Jamieson.

That dismissal saw Boult arrive at the crease and soon enough he became the highest-scoring No 11 in the history of the Test game by surpassing Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 623 with two down the ground. 

He then revelled in the occasion by smashing three fours off a Ben Stokes over to hand the visitors some priceless runs. 

Daryl Mitchell meanwhile continued his fine series by bringing up a half-century to follow his centuries at Lord’s and in the first innings at Trent Bridge. 

The injured Kyle Jamieson did not last long, gloving Broad through to Ben Foakes as well

That brought Trent Boult to the middle who became the highest-scoring No 11 in Test history

Stokes therefore reverted to the new ball and saw the rewards soon after, with Boult smashing a delivery from Anderson – who was in just his ninth over of the innings – straight to the England captain.

England opener Lees got their chase of 299 off to a flying start as the hosts reached 36 for one at lunch on day five of the second Test against New Zealand.

The hosts suffered an early setback in their chase when Zak Crawley edged Trent Boult to Tim Southee for a four-ball duck.

But Durham batsman Lees showed no such scratchy batting, hitting six fours to make a well compiled 30 off 35 balls, with first-innings centurion Ollie Pope sitting on six not out at the interval.

Daryl Mitchell meanwhile continued his fine series by bringing up a half-century

Boult hit three fours of a Stokes over but was eventually caught at cover by the England skipper