If Root hadn’t had his two moments of madness, which I saw live, none of that would have mattered. NZ’s bowling attack shouldn’t have been good enough to bowl a team like England out in less than 80 overs but they produced enough good balls to do just that, except for Root and Brook. Those two wickets, the most important in the team, were just completely squandered.I'm not saying it was. It was a combination of factors - didn't bowl well enough in the 2nd innings, Brook's run out, and many other factors. But I saw the last few overs and Leach went into his shell when Foakes got out when he should have done the opposite. NZ brought in the field to prevent the singles obviously so a well aimed top edge would have gone for 4. Instead he left it to number 11 Anderson to try and score the runs. Leach being defensive while Foakes was in was correct - Foakes is by far the better batsman. But when he got out with 7 needed to win he should have taken on the responsibility to get the runs. He had spent 10 overs at the crease by that stage so had his eye in and Jimmy hadn't. I'm not blaming the defeat on Leach as that would be unfair but I thought he was too negative - not how England want to play or are playing. Southee and Wagner were bowling a lot of short stuff so he could have set himself for that and gone for the hook. With fielders saving the single unless he was unlucky even a mishit would likely have landed safe. I think the situation got the better of him.
You have a point about Leach I agree, but I would argue that Anderson is possibly the better batsman and should be above him in the order.