Joe Root and Ollie Pope hit hundreds to keep England ticking in thrilling second New Zealand Test

This was a triumphant, harum-scarum day of batting for England, who scored 383 runs in 88 overs. Yet at its end, they remain 80 behind. Plenty seems possible across the final two days.

England had a superb day with the bat, flicking through different phases. There was a long-awaited century for Ollie Pope, and another for Joe Root, although that is routine these days. Alex Lees made a maiden Test half-century, and Ben Stokes provided a brief period of carnage that changed the complexion of the game once more.

New Zealand rollicked along in making 553 in the first innings, and England have fought fire with fire. New Zealand have to win if they are to triumph in this series, but even in trying circumstances, England are showing no signs that they would settle for escaping with a draw just yet.

Starting on the second evening when both had significant slices of luck when dropped by centurion Daryl Mitchell at first slip, Lees and Pope shared 141.

These were landmark innings for both men. First, Lees, who looks better with each passing Test innings, and ditched his habit of falling between 20 and 31. He looks confident, driving, cutting and flicking with power. On 67, he just got a little greedy, following a good passage with a big drive that found its way to first slip.

Pope had happy allowed Lees, then Root, to play the frontman in a morning session that saw him face just 30 balls in 15 overs, at one stage.

There was a time that he might have become impatient, but he stuck in admirably, and enjoyed himself in a wicketless afternoon session. He reached his hundred, his second in Test cricket and first since moving to No3 this summer, with a turned two to leg. His strengths were the cover drive, the flick of his pads and the cut, plus his sharp running between the wickets.

Pope opened his shoulders after reaching his hundred, which was celebrated as vigorously by his partner, Root, as Pope himself. There was a hard-cut four, then an upper cut six.

This has been a long time coming for Pope, given his maiden hundred came in January 2020. At that stage, his average was in the forties, he was safely tucked away at No6 as he bedded in to Test cricket. Since, things have become more difficult. Injury and some mangled thinking caused him to fall away badly.