Emilio Gay was attempting to orchestrate England’s response on day two of the second Test against New Zealand having earlier run out opening partner Ben Duckett.
Duckett was looking in wonderful touch at the Kia Oval when Gay called him through for a risky single but he was out by a yard as Nathan Smith made no mistake with his throw from cover.
That increased the pressure on England after a sloppy morning in the field allowed the tourists to reach 391 all out.
But Gay was working hard to make amends, steering the home side to 118 for two at tea with a battling knock of 48 not out.
The first session belonged to New Zealand, and centurion Glenn Phillips in particular, as they took advantage of a ragged showing from England.
Things were finely balanced at 291 for seven but the Black Caps would have been delighted to add another hundred runs, 74 of which came in a slipshod first hour.
Phillips resumed on 49, earning the right to go again by surviving a fiery spell of bouncers from Jofra Archer on Wednesday evening. With Archer held in reserve following his part in that duel, England were wasteful.
With just three overs to bowl before they could lay hands on the new ball, Josh Tongue and Sonny Baker shipped 27 runs in wayward stint.
Things were little better in the field, Duckett fumbling Kyle Jamieson at deep midwicket on 15 to deny Baker a third scalp on his debut and Gay letting a drive burst through his hands at cover to give up a boundary.
Duckett’s drop was costly, Jamieson going on to make 41 in a stand of 87 with Phillips. The 6ft 8in tailender was rattled on the helmet twice for his troubles but played an important hand before being clean bowled swinging hard at Jacob Bethell’s part-time spin.
Bethell was flattered by figures of three for 26, but England were grateful for his good fortune. Archer was finally called back into the attack as Phillips closed in on his maiden hundred and, although he could not halt his progress to a well-earned ton, he made short work of Matt Henry.
Phillips was last man out when he skied Matt Fisher into the leg side, leaving three overs for the English openers to survive before lunch.
They safely completed that assignment, both men off the mark with boundaries. Duckett had not scored a 50 in his past 12 attempts but seemed certain to stop that sequence in the afternoon session, immediately finding his timing with a series of sweet blows.
He raced away to 36 off 25 balls but ended up paying the price for Gay’s stickier start. Attempting to nick a single, he dropped the ball to cover and set off, leaving Duckett well short as Smith picked up and threw down the stumps.
Bethell came and went for nine, nicking Smith’s away swinger to continue a curious habit of low first-innings scores and increase the pressure on Gay.
The Durham man responded admirably, lasting 92 balls to rebuff the New Zealand attack alongside Joe Root.
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