NZ want more red ball cricket as England leave Down Under winless

It was little wonder that New Zealand captain Kane Williamson would have liked to have had more Test cricket this season after series victories over West Indies and England in the four red-ball matches they were able to host.

Two thumping victories over the Caribbean islanders and another innings triumph over England in Auckland were followed by a gutsy draw on Tuesday which secured them a first series win over the English in nearly two decades.

The dramatic climax of Tuesday's second Test in Christchurch was a brilliant advert for the longest form of the game and Williamson for one was left wanting more.

"It was an amazing day of Test cricket," he said.

"For it to come down to a day like this, was really special for the format. Would have been nice to have a third Test, or a little bit more Test cricket."

"But on the whole, it's been a good summer, we've had some great games and a lot of good white-ball games as well."

One of the reasons for New Zealand's success in home Tests this season has been the ability of their bowlers, particularly the strike force of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, to take wickets on the grassy home tracks.

Boult was named Player of the Series against England after taking 17 wickets over the two matches and he also wanted more chances to show what he could do with the red ball.

"Test cricket is my favourite format," he added.

"I've always said that, would be nice to have a few more but definitely been four goodies and hope we have a few more next year."

"A big summer for us all round, I'm sure we'll enjoy celebrate it tonight."

Southee was named Man of the Match for his 6-62 in England's first innings in Christchurch and clearly enjoyed the five days, despite the viral illness which limited his bowling in the second innings.

"It's come out nicely," he said. "Obviously nice to get the whites on again and see the ball move around it bit, very pleasing way to close out a pretty good summer."

On Tuesday, though, Boult and Southee spent the day in the dressing room as their team mates batted out the day for a draw to secure the series win.

It was spinner Ish Sodhi and the third seamer Neil Wagner who took the spotlight instead, batting obdurately through the last 31 overs in a partnership broken only when the latter was dismissed with the last ball of the match.

"England threw everything at us, a lot of short bowling and some out of the rough, and they withstood it for a long time, an unbelievable effort," said Williamson.

Root looks forward after England leave Down Under winless

Captain Joe Root believes England have a better idea of the direction they are heading after their long tour Down Under came to a disappointing conclusion with the side failing to secure a victory in seven Tests against Australia and New Zealand.

A defiant rearguard action by New Zealand prevented the tourists from converting a promising position into a win in the second Test on Tuesday, the draw in Christchurch giving the hosts their first series win over England since 1999.

That followed a chastening 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia and extended England's run to 13 matches without an overseas Test triumph since they beat Bangladesh in October 2016.

"You want to play in big series and we've had the opportunity to do that this winter," Root said in the on-pitch presentation ceremony at Hagley Oval after England fell two wickets short of victory.

"Unfortunately, it's not gone as well as we'd liked. But we have to pick ourselves up and make sure that when we come to the start of the summer, we're all switched on and we take the good stuff we've done this week into it."

England's hopes of winning the series were all but undone when they were bundled out for 58 in the first innings of the day-night opening Test in Auckland as the frailties of their batting was exposed. They lost by an innings and 49 runs.

"Bar that first innings, we've played some good cricket and especially in this game, I think we showed what we are about," he added.

A better start in Christchurch put them in a position to finally end their winless streak on Tuesday, but they were unable to dismiss New Zealand after starting the last day by taking two wickets in as many balls.

"I'm very proud of way we went about it," Root added.

"We did throw absolutely everything at New Zealand, tried a number of different things, few balls just out of reach towards the back end and you need a bit of luck sometimes and unfortunately it wasn't there for us today."

Despite England's already long tour, Root said he would have been happier had the series against New Zealand been decided over three Tests.

"I thought this was a great advert for Test cricket, these five days," he said.

"Coming down to this morning and every result was possible and obviously at the end there, that made for great viewing."

"It's a shame, but that's the way it is."