There will have been a few tough conversations around the England environment over the last 10 days or so; there should be more to be had after a wasteful, worrying day that has left them teetering in this Test. From a favourable position, Joe Root and his squad squandered their opportunities with bat and ball in a showing that bore a striking familiarity to their Australian misadventures of the winter.
Wayward with the ball; imprudent with the bat; short of sharpness in the field – it was a day to forget for Root and the ranks against a New Zealand side that contrasted in each facet. Here, perhaps, was the enforced inexperience showing – although mistakes came from the remaining senior heads, too, with Ben Duckett shelling a simple-enough chance at deep midwicket early on and Root making more than a couple of curious captaincy calls.
