England’s hopes of ending Ben Stokes’ captaincy on a winning note faded on the fifth morning at Trent Bridge as New Zealand completed a 160-run victory to win the three-match Test series 2-1.Chasing 373, England resumed the final day on 103 for 4 but never managed to build the partnerships needed to threaten the target. They were bowled out for 212 shortly after lunch, handing New Zealand their first comeback series win in a three-Test series after losing the opening match.The visitors also registered only their fourth Test series win in England, adding this triumph to those in 1986, 1999 and the two-match series victory 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 edged behind for 10, while Root was run out for 18 by a sharp 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 fourth day’s evening.Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson delayed New Zealand’s charge with a seventh-wicket stand of 75 runs. Atkinson made 19 before Mitchell Santner trapped him lbw just before lunch.Smith continued to fight after the interval but his innings ended on 60 when Nathan Smith produced a diving catch at long-on off Santner’s bowling. The dismissal effectively ended England’s resistance and sealed the 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 New Zealand’s pace attack to feature in every match of the series.“It would have been great to have gone out with a series win and a win,” Stokes said, “but that’s in a perfect world and this world certainly isn’t perfect.”Four years ago, at this very ground, the Stokes-McCullum partnership began by chasing down 299 against New Zealand. That victory became the opening chapter of what the cricket world came to call Bazball. It promised fearless cricket, and a team willing to risk defeat in pursuit 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 the Bazball era returned to Trent Bridge to close it with a 2-1 series win.The defeat also marked England’s first home series loss of three or more Tests since 2012. They have now lost seven of their last nine Test matches, increasing the scrutiny on coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key.
