Through a combination of a series already won by England, the various adornments for the retiring Tim Southee, and fancy dress being in vogue on the banks of leafy Seddon Park, this final Test could easily have taken on an end of term vibe. Fast and loose cricket often bubbles up when players are tired and the finish line is into sight.
What followed, initially at least, was pretty uncompromising from both sides. New Zealand were put in and appeared not just driven by a decent send-off for Southee but perhaps also a sense of atonement for the 2-0 scoreline, while England’s seamers hammered away with little sign of any edge having been dulled by their recent golf trip to Lake Taupo. Two-thirds of the way through the opening day, it was an arm wrestle.
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