Bear with me, I’m just looking up the shortest innings of the Bazball era…

19th over: England 116-6 (Smith 0, Atkinson 0)

England are six down and have batted for 19 overs. It’s already ugly. But it could somehow get even worse.

What have we thought of Emilio Gay’s first series in Test cricket? A couple of handy half-centuries against a very tidy seam attack. The pitch at Lord’s was a horror, the day five track today tricky to caveat what otherwise looks like an unimpressive return of 139 runs @ 23.66. I’m giving him a down the line 5.5/10. See you against Pakistan Emilio and we’ll go again.

18th over: England 116-4 (Root 18, Gay 10)

Half an appeal after Root drives, misses, but New Zealand think they hear a tickle. Otherwise a comfortably negotiated over for England as Root and Gay trade a couple of singles before Root slaps a loose delivery from O’Rourke for four. The charge is on.

17th over: England 110-4 (Root 13, Gay 9)

Oh wow. Nathan Smith’s second ball lifts horribly off a length and flies past Emilio Gay’s nose. And the next ball zips past his edge. That 373 to win is looking even further away. I’m bringing my sweepstake of when this all finishes to pre-lunch. Maiden over in all from Smith. A goodie.

Colum has been in touch about the captaincy and rather nails the issue: “Who can step into the shoes of such a gigantic personality, charismatic leader and astounding player? Root is jaded, Brook is probably not ready and no one else really fits the bill.”

16th over: England 110-4 (Root 13, Gay 9)

Typing out the score again really hammers home how ludicrous the last hour was. We only had 15 overs and England basically scored at seven an over and lost four wickets in the process. Carnage.

A tidy start for Gay who tucks a couple off the hip before a single means Root faces the last ball of the over and blimey! Big drive and a big edge through the slip cordon for four. Steady, Joe…

Here we go, and Will O’Rourke, who busted his finger yesterday and only bowled one ball is back with the ball in hand. Emilio Gay to face.

We’re almost ready here as Stokes gets his latest and definitely not last ovation for the day. The big screen is playing a montage and the crowd is clapping.

Who’s going to replace him as skipper? Brook? Root? Any guesses?

Ten minutes to go until the start of day five.

We have a…smattering of fans in the ground I reckon. That’d be my official terminology anyway. Sweepstakes in of what time this will all be over. I’m going for 14:07.

And we’ve had the idea of the day from Wayne (kia ora, Wayne) down in New Zealand.

“As a Kiwi, I’ve always wondered how Stokes’ career would have gone had he opted to play for NZ, the country of his birth…After the 4 year ICC stand down for professionals who switch allegiance, he’ll only be 39 and, well, would you write off one more maverick twist in the Stokes tale?”

I’m all for it. Stokes to reverse his international retirement in 2030 and turn out for the Black Caps. (I’m not even sure that would be allowed.)

We’ve had a couple people emailing in (get in contact here) about their thoughts from yesterday.

Liam (hello, Liam) doesn’t hold back: “I thought yesterday was a display of complete arrogance, in keeping with the shambles of the last couple of years.”

While Anand (hello, Anand) isn’t convinced of the ploy for Stokes to open: “Don’t think him opening the batting was probably a good idea and if it wasn’t his last innings, I don’t think he would’ve done it.”

Third favourite Ben Stokes memory? I’ll go first. Lord’s 2023. It was ultimately doomed. But maybe that’s what made it better.

And here’s another thing if you like your stats and facts uncaveated. The last time England lost a Test series at home of any sort? New Zealand 2021 when the Black Caps beat England one-nil over two matches. It’s always these boys.

And if England are losing, that means New Zealand are winning.

The tourists have been excellent are the depth of their seam-bowling stocks and overall quality has been immense. Remember, these boys knocked over India three-nil in India’s own backyard less than two years ago. And now they might be about to give England their first series defeat on home soil* since 2012. Not bad from the Black Caps.

*In series of three Tests or more. It’s just very wordy to say it all in one go.

So, match situation. In short, England are losing. They need another 270 runs and are four wickets down.

But where there’s a Root, there’s a way. The former England skipper (and possibly future England skipper?) is at the crease on nine along with Emilio Gay on six.

It’s from a couple of days ago, but also worth a read of Andy Bull from Saturday.

Amidst all the drama and emotion of Stokes’ retirement, there is also the small fact that this is likely to be England’s sixth Test defeat in the last eight. They will have two wins from their last ten and have a losing record over the past three years. Will there be more change ahead?

Mark Ramprakash’s article on Stokes yesterday was excellent. It’s a morning to sit back and read everything from the twenty-four hours and I’d start, for now, with this.

I first came across him when he featured in a Sunday League game at the Oval for Durham against Surrey. He bowled a couple of balls and I thought: “I fancy this guy.” So I tried to hoick him into the stands, and of course my middle stump went cartwheeling.

To get in the mood. Here’s a gallery of Stokes’ remarkable cricket career in pictures.

There may be just a few things to talk about today. Get in touch with me here and I’m interested in all your thoughts. What you thought of yesterday, was it self-indulgent or was it a blaze of glory? And also your favourite Ben Stokes’ moments. Headingley 2019, Lord’s 2019 and….?