From there, Carey and Marsh played with good sense and proactivity, and the target was rapidly whittled down. Any thoughts the Black Caps might have had of getting the second new ball were gone by lunch, with 105 required from 47 overs.

Marsh and Carey got going again in the afternoon session, raising a meritorious century stand and then getting to within 59 of victory when Southee called on Sears. Fast and straight, his second ball beat Marsh’s flick and was judged to be hitting leg stump by Marais Erasmus, standing in his last Test. Ball-tracking proved this correct, ending the partnership at 140.

When Mitchell Starc bunted his first ball straight to midwicket, the Christchurch crowd rose as one, and Sears roared at the chance of a hat-trick. Cummins was duly asked to reprise his innings against England to win at Edgbaston last year: he was drawn into playing at an away-swinger first ball, but the edge scuttled away through slips for four.

With 42 runs still to get, Carey upper-cut Sears within millimetres of the outstretched right hand of Glenn Phillips at backward point, but the ball stayed just out of reach despite a despairing leap.

As he had done to great effect alongside Glenn Maxwell against Afghanistan in the World Cup, Cummins trusted his defence against the spin of Phillips, but was more expansive against the pace of Sears. Drinks arrived with 31 to win.

Carey’s self-control was demonstrated by how he completely avoided sweeping while batting with Marsh. When he faced Phillips again in Cummins’ company, Carey chose the right moment for the shot, going in front of square then paddling behind for damaging boundaries in consecutive balls.

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At the other end, Cummins has long proven his smarts with the bat under pressure, as shown by a fourth innings Test average of better than 30 runs.

In the end, Carey fell short of a century, as Cummins cuffed the winning runs through point. But in playing the vital innings for the team and himself, Carey won’t care. He more than showed his value here, and will take the gloves against India in November.