The final day of this series was one where England will rue missed opportunities – none more glaring than the simple catch dropped by Joe Denly as New Zealand ended the test 241-2.

New Zealand dominated England on day five of the first test at Mount Maunganui by skittling the tourists for 197 after tea to hand the hosts an impressive win by an innings and 65 runs.

England have successfully kept themselves ahead of the game in a tight contest on day two in Mount Maunganui with New Zealand 144/4 (Williamson 51, Nicholls 26*) and trailing England 353 (Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4/88) by 209 runs at stumps on day two.

The first day of New Zealand’s test summer was an attritional one for both sides but England will be the happier of the two going into day two at Mount Maunganui.

Despite averaging over 40 in his first four innings in an England shirt, two summers ago Lancashire’s Keaton Jennings was undone by South Africa’s pacemen. Now with recent good County Championship form under his belt, the 26-year-old hopes to press for a place in England’s Ashes squad for the battle against Australia.

In the first of two articles this week looking at key figures in this Ashes series, MM investigate the importance of the England captain Joe Root and his Australian counterpart Steve Smith.