England vs New Zealand: Ben Stokes’ life ends with a series of defeats

Third Rothesay Test, Trent Bridge (Day Five of Five)

New Zealand 438 (Conway 157, Latham 151, Stokes 4-70) & 288-9 Dec: (Mitchell 100*, Ravindra 94, Archer 4-53)

England 354 (Duckett 113, Bethel 74; Smith 4-91) & 212 (Smith 60; Foulkes 3-42)

New Zealand won by 160 runs, winning the series 2-1.

score card

Ben Stokes’ England career ended in a series defeat to New Zealand, finishing third and deciding the Test at Nottingham on the final day.

The day after captain Stokes announced that this Test would be his last, England’s 160-run defeat at Trent Bridge – and a 2-1 series deficit – highlighted the mess they now find themselves in.

After the Stokes news on Sunday, England slumped to 103-4 at the end of Day 4, leaving their chances of chasing 373 on Monday all but inevitable.

And any sense of an extended fight disappeared in the fourth of the day, when Emilio Gay went over and, crucially, Joe Root was finished off by Henry Nicholls’ rare direct kick.

Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson avoided humiliation by at least 75 in a fighting stand, which ended when Atkinson got out before lunch.

Smith completed just his second half-century in 11 months, but Josh Tongue was the victim of New Zealand’s direct attack this time from Mitchell Santner before Josh Mlas was caught at long-on to leave England 212 all out.

This means that New Zealand, depleted by injuries, have won a famous series, only the fourth in this country.

The Black Caps were the last visiting team to win a series here in 2021 and have now become the first tourists to win a series of three or more Tests in this country in 14 years.

Stokes’ four-year captaincy reign ends with his first defeat at home, and a 15-year international career with England ends in turmoil.

It was their seventh defeat in nine attempts and extended their run without a win until 2024.

In a busy calendar, England begin a white-ball series against India on Wednesday, but a quick return to action doesn’t stop the question of whether a further change in leadership is needed.