England’s revised batting order was a deft touch of the tiller by the stand-in coach Paul Farbrace. Stokes does not take to being disturbed, whether by sledging – which New Zealand did not try – or saluting a la Samuels, or being shifted up and down the order. Jos Buttler has to bat no lower than seven, so he is not stranded again. So the clever new arrangement was to drop Moeen to eight, because he has the defence to hold up an end while Buttler attacks, and the strokes to take England up to 400 perhaps on the second morning.