England's cricketers are staring down the barrel of a record-breaking challenge that would test even the mettle of the great Sir Ian Botham, as they face a daunting task to overhaul New Zealand's imposing total in the second Rothesay Test. The Kiwis have dug in deep, piling on 345 for six in their second innings by lunchtime on day four, leaving England reeling with a mountainous lead of 445 runs.
The current benchmark stands at an astonishing 418 - a figure that would require a Herculean effort from the English batsmen to surpass. Their own best-ever chase was 378 against India four years ago, a reminder of the monumental task ahead if they're to avoid defeat in this crunch match.
But amidst the dire situation, there's been a glimmer of hope - and that's down to Jofra Archer, who's fired up his troops with two crucial wickets. Henry Nicholls (121) and Glenn Phillips (three) fell prey to the star bowler, while Josh Tongue trapped Tom Blundell leg before for 16. It's a small ray of sunshine in what's been a challenging Test match so far.
Yet, New Zealand have shown no signs of relinquishing their grip on the game - and an early dropped chance by Harry Brook when Daryl Mitchell was on 66 proved costly. The Kiwi duo continued to build a stranglehold on the game, with Nathan Smith adding a blistering 30 not out at the end.
Now it's down to England to defy history and conjure up an extraordinary batting performance to get close to the target. Every wicket will be critical in their pursuit of an unlikely victory - can they muster the resilience and skill required to mount such a monumental chase?