No one could have believed that after losing consecutive matches, England would bounce back in such a fashion. Certainly, the decision to appoint Ben Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum as head coach has benefited them. The complete mindset of each player and the team has changed, and now they are playing like the team they are known for.
Day 5 of the second test at Trent Bridge ended with a win for the home team in grand fashion. They chased down the 299 target with 50 overs at almost a run rate of 6. The game started with New Zealand at 237/7 and the visitors added another 47 runs, setting England the target of 299 runs with two and a half sessions left in the match.
However, the home team lost their first four wickets, including the in-form Joe Root, for 93 runs. It looked like the Kiwis would level the series. But the fifth wicket partnership totally took the game away from the Black Caps. Jonny Bairstow and skipper Ben Stokes added 179 runs in just 20 overs.
Bairstow scored a century off just 77 balls and got out at 136 off just 92 balls, including 14 fours and seven maximums. Stokes remained unbeaten on 75 off 70 balls and England chased down one of the biggest and most thrilling chases in the history of Test cricket.England needed 160 runs in the last session and they did it in just 16 overs to take an unassailable lead of 2-0.