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While Brook has had two weeks in New Zealand, Root, Smith and fellow opener Ben Duckett were in the middle for the first time in more than six weeks.

The two remaining matches in this series, plus the one warm-up in Australia, will be their only further opportunities to find form before the first Test on 21 November.

Four runs combined for three players so crucial to England’s hopes is clearly not ideal but significant credit must be given to New Zealand’s new-ball bowlers.

Henry began the match with a delivery that jagged back significantly to bowl Smith through the gate and barely relented with his accuracy throughout his opening spell of eight overs.

Playing only his second ODI, Zak Foulkes was highly impressive and found 0.96 degrees of seam movement plus 1.99 degrees of swing in the first 10 overs – a significant jump from the recent average of 0.89 and 1.41 respectively at this ground.

Duckett nicked a Foulkes ball from round the wicket that angled in before moving away and Root was bowled by a hooping inswinger, albeit one not full enough for his booming drive.

Perhaps the 23-year-old’s best delivery was saved for Jacob Bethell.

The left-hander looked to play another from Foulkes straight down the pitch but was bowled when the ball swung away late to beat his outside edge.

It left Bethell helpless as he tried to apply more pressure to Ollie Pope’s position as Test number three.