Chris Silverwood warns England's young batting line-up are running out of time to cement Ashes place

NICK HOWSON AT EDGBASTON: New Zealand are braced to claim a 1-0 series win after the hosts were reduced to 122 for 9 on day three of the second Test

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New Zealand close to ending Root's unbeaten run and the 80s curse... TEST MATCH TALKING POINTS

Chris Silverwood is on the brink of losing all patience with his young batting line-up after watching England collapse to leave New Zealand on the brink of a first series win on these shores since 1999.

After conceding a first-innings lead of just 85 after an inspired bowling performance on either side of lunch on day three, the hosts produced a pitiful reply with the bat to ensure the result of the second Test at Edgbaston, where they have lost once since 2008, is a mere formality.

From the moment Rory Burns poked at a wide Matt Henry delivery from the second ball of the innings the writing was on the wall as a series of preventable dismissals saw England reduced to 122 for 9, a lead of just 37, by the close.

If it hadn't been for tireless rearguards from captain Joe Root, who made 11 from 103 balls, and an unbeaten Olly Stone (15 not out from 53) the Kiwis would have wrapped up victory inside three days and given themselves extra time to prepare for a World Test Championship final for which they looked primed to perform.

Ducks for Burns and Dan Lawrence means England have now suffered 18 in 2021, the joint-second most they've ever recorded in a single calendar year. With eight Tests to come against India and Australia, it seems inevitable that the current record of 27 will be surpassed before the year is out.

After perhaps overlooking England's trials in India in conditions that have upset many an established opponent, no such excuses can be used on this occasion, not even in the form of their second-string - particularly when the Black Caps are fielding a weakened team of their own.

A contingent including Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Zak Crawley (all 23), Dom Sibley (25) appears to be on borrowed time.

It is quite clear that Silverwood's faith is ebbing away, particularly with the Ashes coming into view. That a normally conservative coach is "wide open" to all manner of alterations, from withdrawing inexperienced players to recalling the likes of Dawid Malan to ensure the team is ready for Australia says plenty about his current state of mind. 

^{Chris Silverwood is ready to wield the axe}

"Obviously not good enough, we need to improve there is no doubt about that," said the former Essex coach after being asked for his initial reaction. "We'll be talking and reflecting on that. There are plenty of lessons out there to learn from.

"There are plenty of things to work on, no one is going to hide from that. It is a case of learning, what we can learn from the New Zealand players and how they went about their business and the way they apply themselves, go to the nets, work on it and make sure we do it in the next game."

The top seven is devoid of Ben Stokes due to injury and Jos Buttler, who has been given extra time off after playing in the eventually-curtailed Indian Premier League, a decision which is sure to come under the microscope again. Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer, who are more than capable with the bat, are also missing from the lower order.

At the start of the summer, Silverwood was buoyant about the opportunity the absence of those established names would offer the new faces such as Lawrence and James Bracey.

After nearly two Tests and some damaging displays that cheery outlook has eroded away. It is now being treated like a missed opportunity.

"I am not going to lie it was a great opportunity for some of the lads to come in and really stamp their mark on the game," he admitted. "We spoke about that at the beginning of this series and I am sure one of two will be disappointed they haven't been able to do that.

Asked about whether it is time to take the young players out of the firing line, Silverwood responded: "Things will change of course once you get Stokes, Buttler these guys back things will naturally change anyway. But it is certainly something we'll be looking at. In the conversations I'll have with the captain and the assistant coaches that will be looked at."

^{Rory Burns' dismissal started the ball rolling}

Pope's run of form highlights that merely returning to the domestic red-ball scene, which does not resume until the start of July, may not automatically solve the issues at hand. Already with a hundred and a double century in the County Championship for Surrey this term, Pope has 11 double-figure scores in his last 12 Test knocks but nothing above 34.

Silverwood added: "We need to start seeing starts turn into big scores now. That is one thing that I will be looking for. I want to see people pushing on and getting those big individual scores and being greedy when we get in."

Against the backdrop of a winless run that is set to stretch to five Tests, it is an unavoidable truth that Silverwood is yet to have a full complement available to select from at any stage this season partly due to the ECB's much-derided but totally understandable rotation policy.

It remains to be seen whether that strategy continues when the India series begins and then attention turns to regaining the urn down under. But it is clear that even Silverwood is starting to become exacerbated by the situation.

"We talk about what we're going to look like in Australia - I would certainly like to start galvanising that Test team, certainly through the India series," he said, in the starkest message yet that rotation could end. "It would be great to have some of the lads back and available for selection.

"Getting the experience of your Buttler's and Stokes back will help them as well. The inexperienced in among the experienced players helped them along. That's what I hope is going to happen in the India series and get that batting line-up solid."