You had to feel for Ollie Pope. In the course of their match-turning partnership of 151, he had watched Harry Brook be dropped three times – including a complete sitter by Glenn Phillips at gully. But it was Pope walking off first,

Ollie Pope enjoys wicketkeeping and batting down the order. This much was clear after the first two days in Christchurch, where his glove work went unnoticed for the right ­reasons and his precious 77 with the bat helped swing matters England’s way.

Harry Brook and Ollie Pope rode their luck to lead England’s fightback after New Zealand dismantled their top order on day two in Christchurch. After bowling the Black Caps out for 348, the tourists were teetering on 71 for four in response after failing a stiff examination by the home seamers.

Chris Stocks covers England home and away for i and will be in New Zealand for the duration of this tour. Sign up for the free Inside Cricket newsletter here to receive his daily dispatches HAGLEY OVAL — Harry Brook’s seventh Test century,