England top order left in tatters as New Zealand gain upper hand at Headingley

England lost six wickets in their first 12 overs at the crease as their pledge to keep delivering entertaining cricket came at a cost on day two at Headingley.

Having worked hard to dismiss New Zealand for 329 in the third LV= Insurance Test, with Daryl Mitchell scoring his third century of the series, the hosts saw their top order routed as the tourists produced an outstanding display of seam and swing bowling.

A counter-attack from Jonny Bairstow (33no) saw England to tea on 91 for six, but the manner of their top-order capitulation offered cause for alarm.

While it would be tempting to attribute the dramatic collapse, first to 21 for four then 55 for six, to the same ultra-aggressive approach that brought a rousing victory at Trent Bridge last week, it would not be entirely accurate.

Captain Ben Stokes was certainly guilty of hubris, reacting to a perilous position by unsuccessfully trying to slog his way out of trouble, but most of his team-mates simply lacked the wherewithal to occupy the crease.

Left-armer Trent Boult set the runaway train in motion during an immaculate new-ball spell that saw him clean bowl Alex Lees, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley in quick succession.

Swinging the ball at good speed and with an unerring accuracy around off stump, he needed just five balls to open his account. Lees did not have the defence to keep Boult out, propping half-forward at one that held its line and flicked a bail on the way past.

There was nothing quite so subtle about Pope’s departure, with Boult ripping out the Surrey man’s off stump at his next visit. It was a knockout blow, landed flush on a player riding high after a fine century in Nottingham last week.

Boult’s masterclass continued as he sized up and reeled in his