Third LV Insurance Test, Headingley (day five of five) |
New Zealand 329 (Mitchell 109, Leach 5-100) & 326 (Blundell 88*, Latham 76; Leach 5-66) |
England 360 (Bairstow 162, Overton 97) & 296-3 (Root 86*, Pope 82, Bairstow 71*) |
England won by seven wickets |
Scorecard |
England romped to victory on the final day of the third Test against New Zealand to complete a series whitewash.
After rain delayed the start of play for over an hour, England lost Ollie Pope for 82 in the first over, but Bairstow and Joe Root put on a dominant stand of over 100 for the loss of no one.
Bairstow hit a 71 not out from 44 balls.
After England's dismal run of one win in 17 Tests, the captain and coach of the team decided to take over.
The rearranged Test against India will begin on Friday and they are confident.
Three months ago, England's Test team were at their lowest point in recent memory, having lost the series to the West Indies.
New Zealand was whitewashed in a fashion rarely seen in the longest format of the game.
England have become the first team to chase more than 250 in three Tests in a row by winning the series by racing to seemingly difficult chases.
They hit boundaries and delighted the crowd who had been allowed into the ground for free.
By the time Bairstow hit Michael Bracewell for six in the final over of the match, their position of 55-6 was no longer an issue.
The chase took 54.2 overs. Only 15.2 overs were played on the final day.
Pope was hit by a ball from Tim Southee but it was the only blemish.
The pair of Bairstow and Root hit two fours each in the second over of the day.
Bairstow's fifty in only 30 balls was the second fastest Test half-century for England.
He hit Southee over his head and put him into the second tier.
Bairstow ended the series with 394 runs at an average of 78.80 and strike-rate of 120.12, an example of England's new era.
On the final day, New Zealand had no answer to Bairstow.
The Black Caps have taken a step back since beating England and India to win the World Test Championship.
A top order has been unable to fire because they have had to deal with Covid-19 cases. Only two of the top six averaged more than 30.
England will play a one-off Test against India from last summer.
England won't fear anyone.