Rank outsiders leave England facing humiliating defeat

He added to his maiden first innings hundred with another cut from different cloth. After a period of essential consolidation on the third evening when New Zealand’s second innings was reduced to 8 for three, Fulton cut loose. The first fifty took 120 balls, the second 52.

He reached his century by hitting Stuart Broad back over his head for his fifth six. Fulton had played ten Tests before this series for a batting average barely above 20 but had been steadfastly ignored by the selectors for more than three years.

This was the batting of a liberated man, of someone who realised that there was not much to this international cricket business after all. England were stunned into submission. They took one wicket in the morning session when Ian Bell executed a splendid running catch to dismiss Dean Brownlie.

What a mistake that proved to be because it brought in the explosive Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, to partner Fulton and they did pretty much as they wished.

If the batting was as purposeful as it comes, it was matched by bowling which lacked zest and discipline. England had sensed matters wrongly at the start of the session, assuming that their opponents were ready to fold and went chasing wickets.

The fields were zanily designed, as if by malfunctioning software rather than instinctive captaincy. This might work if the bowling is up to it and in this case it was not.

Before long, England were in retreat, the array on the perimeter signalling a band of men no longer in any control of their own destiny. The plight was embodied by Monty Panesar, though he was not alone. There were no runs from his first 27 balls which also included the wicket of Dean Brownlie, 52 from his next 27.

McCullum had had reached his default position, fifth gear and not budging from it, when Fulton departed for 110, miscuing a pull. It was a splendid innings, which merely encouraged McCullum to sustain the momentum.

When BJ Watling was out, gifting a second wicket to Panesar as if he was a charity in need of donations, with a pull to the outfield where he was not short of options, McCullum decided to call it a day. It left England 53 overs in the day, 143 in all to make something of it for the first time in the match.

A solid start was essential. Nick Compton allowed his first ball from Tim Southee to go by, clipped the second to square leg for two and, only half forward to the third which straightened on him, feathered it through to the wicketkeeper.

Cook and Jonathan Trott looked in no trouble on this drop-in pitch that was still refusing to wear. But for no apparent reason as the left arm swing bowler came round the wicket, Trott drove away from his body and was caught behind. A period of dogged retrenchment followed from Cook and Ian Bell but it was to become a whole lot worse.