England found themselves in a daunting position on the fourth morning of the second Rothesay Test against New Zealand, facing a world-record chase despite a slightly improved bowling performance.

Jofra Archer made significant strides by dismissing Henry Nicholls for 121 and taking down first-innings centurion Glenn Phillips for just three runs. Josh Tongue also contributed by removing Tom Blundell during a productive opening hour.

However, these efforts could not mask the reality that the match had shifted firmly in favor of the tourists. By lunch, New Zealand had advanced to 345 for six, establishing a commanding lead of 445 runs. The record for the highest successful chase stands at 418, a mark England themselves set four years ago with a score of 378 against India.

At the start of play, New Zealand already held a 352-run lead, compounded by several self-inflicted errors from England. The morning session began with a notable blunder: Archer's excellent delivery to Daryl Mitchell was misjudged by Harry Brook, who parried the catch to the boundary. Mitchell, at that point, was 66 not out.

Archer's frustration grew, but he quickly redeemed himself by dismissing Nicholls in his next over, with Brook managing to hold on this time, aided by captain Joe Root in the slips. Nicholls had only added two runs to his score but had already put New Zealand in a dominating position.

England's bowling improved compared to day three, with Tongue successfully trapping Blundell for 16. Root's initial drop was salvaged by wicketkeeper James Rew, who caught the rebound, showcasing the team's struggle behind the stumps. Archer returned to challenge Phillips once more, ultimately claiming victory as Phillips hit straight to gully.