New Zealand grab Test series draw with England after final day heroics
New Zealand produced a final day salvo to clinch a series draw with England after a 199-run victory in the second Test at Headingley.
Brendon McCullum's side secured the win in the final session of the match to draw the two-game series 1-1, after England prevailed in the first Test at Lord's.
Kane Williamson took 3-15 while there were two wickets each for Trent Boult and Matt Craig as the Kiwis took advantage of a crumbling Leeds pitch to maintain their unbeaten series record stretching back to 2013.
Captain Alastair Cook made a valiant 56 on his way to becoming the youngest player to 9,000 Test runs, to give England a lifeline but the rearguard was a rare highlight on a day where the top order was blown away.
Gary Ballance (6) and Ian Bell (1) were both dismissed cheaply, while Joe Root's good run of form was ended in emphatic fashion after he was dismissed from his second ball without scoring.
While New Zealand head into the upcoming five-match one-day series with all the momentum, the result leaves England in disarray just over a month out from the Ashes against Australia, with questions over the form of several key players.
An all-but washed out day four had ruined New Zealand's hopes of securing a comfortable victory but with the inclement conditions having cleared, McCullum's men sensed a series-squaring win in Yorkshire heading into day five.
And within an hour of the morning session they were firmly in the box seat, as the tourists took four crucial wickets to leave England staring down the barrel of defeat.
Boult found the edge of Lyth (24), who failed to add to his overnight score, and bowled Ballance in emphatic fashion as the England top order against disintegrated.
But the much-famed middle order were unable to reply as first Bell found Williamson at leg slip off Craig, before the off-spinner succeeded again two balls later as Tom Latham clung on to a catch at short leg off Root's second ball.
Ben Stokes hit a typically breezy 29 from 51 balls before cutting Williamson behind in the penultimate over of the morning session and when the part-timer trapped Cook lbw, New Zealand were on the brink.
Moeen Ali (2) failed to muster any resistance before leaving a straight delivery from Matt Henry, while Broad became Williamson's third victim after playing on with an ill-timed drive off the back foot.
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