What do you get if you pick three debutants, two more with one cap each, a strike-bowler who is returning to Test cricket after two solid months of sending down four-over spells in India, and hand the captaincy to a guy who has spent the past four years with the job happily in his rear-view mirror?

Throw in a seasoned opposition side like Tom Latham’s New Zealand and the answer, England have discovered, is the need to knock off a monstrous fourth-innings target of 463 – or bat out nearly five sessions – to avoid a defeat that will invite questions beyond simply that optimistic selection.

What England do have, at least, is an all-time great in Joe Root. And on the fourth day, as Ben Stokes was swatting 95 for Durham during his state of exile, the interim captain offered a reminder of his final year in the role full-time: run-scoring excellence while the rest of his team floundered.

With England stumbling to 182 for five by the close, still 281 runs away and with a long tail to follow, the match is heading towards his 27th loss wearing the stripes – equalling his tally of wins. New Zealand have dominated in all departments, while the Stokes affair has cast a shadow over the hosts.

But thanks to a defiant 75 not out from 137 balls, and becoming the second man past 14,000 Test runs, there was one bright spark in the crisis that has engulfed Brendon McCullum’s set-up over the past fortnight.

That landmark was breached when Root nudged his second run into the off side, prompting a standing ovation and a slightly sheepish raise of the bat. England were deep in the mire, however, Root having walked out at 13 for two and then soon joined by Harry Brook when this became 40 for three just before tea.

Over the course of the next hour and a half, the two Yorkshiremen put on a bit of a show, adding 97 and finally forcing the field to spread. Root was guiding his runs down to third man in typical fashion, while Brook aped this approach and also added some of the more brutal shots in his repertoire.

There was always the sense this was a high-wire act, however. Not least when Matt Henry resumed with Tom Blundell up to the stumps and both batters overturned lbw decisions via faint inside edges. Henry found the other side of Brook’s bat when a defensive prod on 58 flew into the hands of Daryl Mitchell at slip.

It was no less than Henry deserved, with his five-wicket haul in England’s sub-par first innings one of many reasons why New Zealand are tracking towards 1-1 with one to play. But their champion on the day was Kyle Jamieson, finishing with three for 37 after he removed James Rew during the final throes.

Poor Rew. A tough debut with bat and gloves rounded off by being struck in the unmentionables and given out lbw for 15 on review. With Jamie Smith absent due to paternity leave, a second cap in Nottingham next week feels unlikely for Somerset’s 22-year-old.

So did the prospect of a fifth day here when Ben Duckett toe-ended a hook shot off Will O’Rourke and the catch plopped to mid-on, amid an audible groan. With England three down for spit, having lost Emilio Gay and Jacob Bethell in Jamieson’s second over, the mood at the Oval felt mutinous.

Jamieson had got the new ball to move, assisted by some decent cloud cover. But Gay’s reaction upon chipping one straight to midwicket – looking skywards and putting a hand on his head – spoke of batter error. Bethell falling lbw for a fourth-ball duck to one that nipped in represented a fine bit of bowling.

It was also a reminder that for all of Bethell’s qualities, as witnessed during his maiden century in Sydney at the start of the year, he is still a 22-year-old playing his eighth Test match; very much learning on the job, but somehow, in this particular team, approaching senior pro status.

Bethell’s chief contribution has been with the ball, sending down 21 overs for four wickets in the match. It was a handy return, but also highlighted how the frontline attack has been found wanting. New Zealand did lose seven for 110 on the fourth day, but chiefly because it became a trolley-dash for quick runs by the end.

If nothing else, Jofra Archer should be better for his extended workout and there have been moments when he has shone. After overcoming the agony of a drop by Brook at second slip off his first ball of the day, Archer went to shut down Henry Nicholls for 121 and nick off Glenn Phillips after a short-ball examination.

But even with Matthew Fisher buffing up his figures via three late strikes, England’s attack has been outshone by New Zealand. Not even the genius of Root is likely to prevent what would be a sixth defeat from England’s past eight Tests.