Ben Stokes brought the curtain down on his illustrious Test career with a surprise retirement announcement during the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. Although England suffered defeat in the match, Stokes’ remarkable contributions to the game were celebrated by team-mates and opponents alike, with New Zealand captain Tom Latham and long-time England team-mate Joe Root paying heartfelt tribute.Tom Latham on Ben Stokes: “On behalf of the New Zealand cricket team, I just want to congratulate you on an amazing career. You really are a once-in-a-generation player. We’ve shared fierce battles over the years, and it’s been a privilege to play against you. Congratulations on a fantastic career, mate.”Joe Root on playing alongside Stokes: “I’ve been playing cricket with and against Ben since we were 12 years old. He taught me my first oath the first time I played against him while sledging. We’ve been going really well ever since. It will be strange to walk down the street and not see him around. He has been an incredible teammate and friend throughout the journey.”
New Zealand seal the series in England
New Zealand cruised to a memorable 160-run victory over England in the third Test at Trent Bridge, sealing the three-match series 2-1 and handing England their first home Test series defeat of three or more matches in 14 years. The match was overshadowed by Ben Stokes’ shock retirement announcement, with the England captain ending his international career after the contest.After electing to bat first, New Zealand posted 438 in their first innings thanks to magnificent centuries from Devon Conway (157) and Tom Latham (151). England responded with 354, powered by Ben Duckett’s 113, leaving the visitors with an 84-run lead in the first innings.In the second innings, Daryl Mitchell produced a gritty unbeaten 100 while batting with several shots, leading New Zealand to 288/9 declared. England set a target of 373 runs, but their chase never really gained momentum. Stokes opened the batting in his farewell innings and scored a 20-ball 30, but England eventually folded for 212, falling 160 runs short.The New Zealand bowlers shared the spoils, with Mitchell Santner claiming crucial wickets on the final day, while Nathan Smith and concussion replacement Zak Foulkes made statement contributions throughout the match. A 75-run stand between Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson briefly delayed the inevitable before the visitors sealed victory.