Sun sets on Bazball: Ben Stokes signs off with defeat as New Zealand seal 2-1 series win vs England | Cricket News
England’s hopes of ending Ben Stokes’ captaincy on a winning note vanished on the fifth morning at Trent Bridge as New Zealand completed a 160-run victory to win the three-match Test series 2-1.The visitors also recorded only their fourth Test series win in England, adding this triumph to those in 1986, 1999 and the two-series win in 2021.England’s hopes rested on Joe Root and Emilio Gay at the start of the day, but both departed in the fourth over of the day. Gay found himself behind for 10, while Root was run out for 18 by a piece of fielding from Henry Nicholls. Around the ground, the boundary boards displayed the message, “Thank you Ben Stokes”, as the England captain watched from the dressing room after being dismissed for 30 on the evening of the fourth day.Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson delayed New Zealand’s charge with a 75-run seventh stand. Atkinson made 19 before Mitchell Santner trapped him lbw just before lunch.Smith continued to struggle after the interval but his innings ended on 60 when Nathan Smith produced a diving catch at length off Santner’s bowling. The dismissal effectively ended England’s resistance and sealed victory for the visitors.Nathan Smith finished the series as New Zealand’s leading Wicket-taker with 15 wickets. He was the only member of the New Zealand pace attack to feature in every match of the series.“It would have been great to come out with a series win and a win,” Stokes said, “but this is in a perfect world and this world certainly isn’t perfect.”Four years ago, on this very ground, the Stokes-McCullum partnership started to chase 299 against New Zealand. This victory became the opening chapter of what the cricketing world came to call Bazball. It promises fearless cricket, and a team willing to risk defeat in search of victory.On Monday, it was New Zealand who walked away with the series. The team that had been swept 3-0 at the birth of Bazball returned to Trent Bridge to close with a 2-1 series win.The defeat also marked England’s first home loss of three or more Tests since 2012. They have now lost seven of their last nine Test matches, increasing scrutiny on coach Brendon McCullum and general manager Rob Key.
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