In the end, the challenge of taking ten wickets on an increasingly lifeless pitch was just too great, especially for a side as emotionally drained as England. But after today's anticlimax, they will feel chuffed and cheated in equal measure. Chuffed, because Andrew Flintoff showed that his 137 at Christchurch wasn't a one-off, and because the bowlers stuck to their task like limpets. Cheated, because they have dominated this series, and yet could still end up drawing it. Nasser Hussain's task now is to drum up one final effort in Auckland at the end of a punishing winter.

The bowlers had a couple of problems. The ball didn't move much in the air until late in the day, when Matthew Hoggard became the second England seamer in the match after Andy Caddick to prove that you don't need Darren Gough or Craig White to produce reverse-swing. And it didn't turn as much for Ashley Giles as it did during his spell of 3 for 7 yesterday, possibly because the sun didn't come out until after lunch.

Then there was the Steve Dunne Factor. Dunne had taken a fearful hammering in the New Zealand papers over his performance throughout the game, and today he seemed determined not to make another blunder. Unfortunately for England, this meant erring on the side of caution, so when Lou Vincent appeared to glove Giles to Mark Butcher at silly point on 4, Dunne remained impassive. Vincent, who should have been out for 3 in the first innings instead of 57, now went on to make what for the moment is a series-saving 71 (he was later spotted penning an IOU note to Lady Luck).

Foster's drop off Stephen Fleming was more galling for England, because at least that was something over which they had some control. Crucially, the catch was low to Foster's left, where – like Graeme Hick before him in the slips – he clearly has a blind spot. It was the third time in the match he had spilled a chance moving to his left, and recalled a similar drop at a vital stage of the third one-day international against India at Chennai. It's harsh to say that the clanger cost England the match, but since Fleming hung around for a further two hours, and New Zealand's tail currently starts with the out-of-touch Adam Parore at No. 7, it's not too harsh. If England are going to think long-term and stick with Foster, they will have to grin and bear his blunders in the short term.

At least Flintoff's innings was still fresh in the mind. This was the sort of knock that seemed tailor-made for him when he first batted for England back in the summer of 1998, but which until now he has never played (and that includes Christchurch, where he wasn't initially going for quick runs to set up a declaration). He eased himself in with a few quick singles – well, this is the new Freddie we're talking about here – and then treated the Kiwis like local net bowlers. He now averages 53.50 in the series, and is in serious danger of becoming a genuine international allrounder. Ian Botham, looking on from his windy perch in the TV gantry, must have been taken back to his pomp.

The way England approached the morning session, when they scored at more than seven an over for more than an hour, was – like yesterday – almost Australian. The afternoon reminded them that they still have a long way to go before they can start calling each other "mate", but they now have a great chance of going to Auckland and doing something the Aussies recently failed to do – win a Test series against New Zealand.

Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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