Foster performed well in support of his skipper

Caddick swiped Astle to mid on and when Hoggard was taken at slip, New Zealand's victory had levelled the series and taken them above England in the world Test championship.

Test cricket has become much more entertaining recently, not merely because of the effect of playing so-much one-day cricket, but also because Australia have shown the world that it is the way to play.

The quicker you score your runs, the more time you have to dismiss your opponents: simple!

It makes the game a much more attractive spectacle for its followers, and it is difficult to argue with that.

Traditional

However, there are times when the time-honoured, traditional attitude to the game still applies.

Several batsmen will regret attacking shots

And that means that batsmen must be prepared to deny the opposition victory by solid, brave, backs-to-the-wall defence.

And it seems, in their desire to keep pace with the likes of Australia, that England overlooked that here.

It might win them friends for a while but, as Bruce Forsyth used to say: "points win prizes" and England, who dominated the first two Tests, really should have left New Zealand as winners.