Stokes’s Departure Overshadows New Zealand Brilliance

After a range of largely enforced changes for the second Test, England’s line-up reverted to a more expected look. Ben Stokes returned, as captain, to the side, as questions continued to mount about how and why he and Gus Atkinson (who was also back in the team) had been punished over the nightclub incident. Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker made way for them. Jamie Smith returned after his parental leave in place of James Rew. And Shoaib Bashir was back in place of Matthew Fisher. Ollie Robinson, who had declared himself fit again, was not selected, despite his success at Lord’s, as both Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer kept their places.

After their emphatic win at The Oval, New Zealand had to make changes: match-winner Matt Henry had a calf problem, so was replaced by Blair Tickner, while leading runscorer Glenn Phillips had a side strain and made way for Mitchell Santner, to give them a spin option; Kyle Jamieson was rested and Ben Sears came in. With the temperatures soaring, New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat.

The ovation for Stokes as he led out the England side showed where the fans’ loyalties lay. Tom Latham and Devon Conway came out to bat in perfect conditions, and the England bowlers struggled to get much movement either in the air or off the pitch. After just ten overs, Stokes brought on Bashir, who almost picked up a wicket straight away, but the fifty partnership arrived after 66 balls. Latham went to fifty off 65 balls, and the century opening partnership – the sixth for this pair – took 157 balls. At lunch, New Zealand were 108 without loss.

After the break, the runs continued to flow; Conway brought up his fifty off 91 balls. England’s bowlers seemed unable to curb the rate as the 150 partnership was reached after 232 balls, but then on 157 Bashir could have had Conway LBW, but the bowler wasn’t convinced and England did not review, only to find out the decision would have been reversed by DRS; it was a mistake you couldn’t imagine Stuart Broad making. The 200 partnership duly arrived after 304 deliveries, and the next ball Latham went to his 17th Test century (level with Martin Crowe; only Ross Taylor, 19, and Kane Williamson, 33, have more) in 149 balls. At tea, New Zealand were 213 for none.

Early in the evening session, Conway completed his eighth Test century off 174 balls. England were toiling and seemingly bereft of options. The next landmark was the 250 partnership off 365 balls, and the runs were flowing. For some reason, England tried their short-pitched approach, but it didn’t work and the run rate merely accelerated. Finally a chance came as Latham was strangled down the leg side off Atkinson, but Smith dropped one of the simplest catches you could hope for behind the stumps. At 280 Latham and Conway had set a new record opening partnership for New Zealand against England and also a record for any wicket, beating one that had stood since 24 January 1930, in only the second-ever Test between these sides, when Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills put on 276 in just 258 minutes. Bashir, in particular, was now struggling, bowling a really inconsistent length. After 408 balls, New Zealand were 300 without loss. Conway was first to go to 150, off 210 balls, and then Latham followed him, taking 211 balls for his 150.

But, just as it appeared they would bat the day out, it all began to change. At the start of the 73rd over, Stokes found the edge of Latham’s bat, who was out for 151, caught by Smith, and the 317 partnership was finally ended. So, just before 5.30, Henry Nicholls found his way out to the middle, but then Conway, on 157, heaved one into the deep off Joe Root and was caught by substitute Matthew Fisher. The new ball was taken immediately it was available, with the score on 349 for two. Just before the close, Rachin Ravindra mistimed a pull and top-edged it to Smith to give Atkinson his first wicket; then, in the final over, Archer found the edge of Nicholls’ bat and it was 361 for four at the close.

Early on the second day, Will O’Rourke went to his highest Test score with only the second boundary of his career to move him up to 6 not out. But he went on from there, being dropped by Smith off Stokes when on 19. It took more than 50 minutes for the first wicket of the day to fall, when Daryl Mitchell was caught behind off Stokes to the faintest of edges, picked up by DRS but not the umpire (nor, it seemed, by Mitchell either). O’Rourke was finally dismissed by Stokes, caught at point by Emilio Gay, having survived for 68 minutes on the day. Santner failed to evade a Stokes bouncer and gloved one to Jacob Bethell. It was a landmark dismissal for Stokes, taking him to 250 wickets in Tests – only the ninth England bowler to reach that total, and none of the others above him has also scored more than 7000 runs. Indeed that combination of 7000 runs and 250 wickets has been achieved by only one other player in Test history: Jacques Kallis. At lunch it was 418 for seven.

Early in the afternoon session, England dropped another catch, as Bashir failed to cling on to one in the deep from Tom Blundell off the bowling of Archer. Bashir made no mistake when Nathan Smith drilled one straight back at him – it was his first England wicket since last July. Later in the same over, Blundell was LBW, before Archer hit Tickner with a fierce bouncer and then finished off the innings, trapping Sears in front. New Zealand were all out for 438, with Stokes having figures of four for 70.

Ben Duckett and Gay came out to face Smith and O’Rourke, and in his first over the latter tickled one through to the keeper down the leg side, out for a duck. What had started as a very benign wicket was starting to show some inconsistent bounce. On 8, Duckett was dropped off O’Rourke by Nicholls – it was to prove a costly miss, with the next ball almost inevitably going to the boundary. He continued to play his shots and raced along, ensuring the fifty partnership arrived in just 56 balls, with Bethell very much in a supporting role. Duckett went to fifty in only 40 deliveries, with ten fours in the mix. At tea, England were 73 for one.

Soon after the tea break, when Bethell went to 24, it represented the highest first-innings score of his Test career – a glaring and unusual flaw in a batter’s career. Duckett and Bethell completed their hundred partnership in 101 balls, as they ate into New Zealand’s total, with Santner in particular coming in for some tap and showing every sign of not having bowled in first-class cricket since last August. Bethell reached his fifty in 60 balls, to continue moving the balance back towards his side. Soon after, the pair completed their 150 partnership off 144 deliveries, and then Duckett reached his century in 88 balls. It was his seventh Test hundred, his first against New Zealand and his second at Trent Bridge. After 21 innings where he’d missed out, this was an important moment for him. By then, Zak Foulkes had come on as a concussion substitute for Tickner. All of a sudden, Duckett got an inside edge and was bowled by Smith for 113. Root came out to join Bethell and by the close England were 223 for two, with the game pretty much in the balance. The run rate towards the end of the day had slowed down, partly because Duckett had gone, but also Blundell was standing up to the pace bowlers, constraining England’s strokeplay.

Day Three couldn’t have got off to a worse start for England. Root was trapped LBW again, as Smith struck early. Bethell then edged O’Rourke to second slip, so both set batsmen were out without adding to their overnight score. Jamie Smith followed quickly, driving loosely at Smith to fall for 1: England had started the day by losing three wickets for just 11 runs. Harry Brook and Stokes tried to repair things, putting on fifty in 55 balls, but the wicket was offering more for the bowlers. Foulkes then had one that jagged back into Stokes and clattered into the stumps. Brook pushed a single to bring up his fifty off 66 balls, and at lunch it was 314 for six – it had been New Zealand’s session and it was hard to see England coming back from this position.

The afternoon session also got off to a bad start as Brook was undone by one from Foulkes that held its line and he was bowled for 58. With England still trailing by 96 runs, the new ball was taken as soon as it was available. In the second over, O’Rourke failed to cling on to a caught and bowled chance. In the fourth over, Atkinson looped one up to Sears at mid on, who dropped one of the easiest chances you’ll see in a Test. Then, in the fifth over, Smith got one to rear up at Archer, and Mitchell did the rest in the slips. The end wasn’t long in coming after that, as Atkinson edged O’Rourke to Mitchell after two hours at the crease, and then Tongue lobbed one to Santner at square leg off Foulkes. England were all out for 354, trailing by 84 runs – a deficit that looked decisive on a wicket that was deteriorating in the sunshine. Nathan Smith finished with four for 91.

England needed quick wickets to get themselves back in the game, and in the first over Archer had Latham plumb LBW to lift the mood. Archer upset Conway with a bouncer out of nowhere and soon followed it up by finding his edge to leave the Kiwis on 12 for two. That brought Ravindra in, who has struggled in the field and with bat in hand, but he decided attack was the best form of defence. Tongue nearly had Nicholls, who edged one between Smith and Brook at a wide first slip, but neither man went for it. The reprieve was a brief one, as Atkinson forced a repeat in the next over, but this time Brook clung on. You felt one more wicket soon would be crucial, but it didn’t come. Ravindra reached his fifty off 81 balls, after starting at a run a ball, and the same stroke also brought up the fifty partnership with Mitchell off 97 balls. At the close it was 120 for three, with New Zealand 204 ahead and well on top.

Day Four was to throw up even more drama, but in unexpected ways. It seemed as though Archer had struck early, but his LBW shout against Mitchell was overturned by DRS. It was a rare period of attritional cricket, as probing bowling was met by resilient batting. It took Ravindra and Mitchell 209 balls to complete their hundred partnership. Just before the break, Stokes turned to Bashir and with his fourth ball he had Ravindra LBW for 94. At lunch it was 180 for four.

In the afternoon session, runs again proved hard to come by, as the wicket began to show even more signs of wear. Mitchell was becalmed, so Blundell tried to play some shots, but holed out off Archer down to Gay at fine leg. Finally, Mitchell completed his fifty off 170 balls, Santner was out second ball to the finest edge that neither bowler (Stokes), umpire nor indeed Santner himself had heard or felt. Nathan Smith followed him back soon after, as Archer found his edge, through to Jamie Smith. New Zealand had slipped from 180 for three to 206 for seven. Could England wrap up the last three wickets quickly to give themselves an outside chance?

When New Zealand’s lead reached 300, they knew they had gone past the highest-ever run chase on this ground in Tests – unfortunately, they had been on the receiving end at the start of the Bazball era in 2022. Stokes kept on bowling, with almost no luck, but then at 3.25 the whole tenor of the game changed as the news was released that he would be retiring from international cricket at the end of the match. With his first ball after the announcement, in the eleventh over of his spell and – of course! – he took a wicket, Foulkes edging to Brook. At tea, New Zealand were 234 for eight.

Stokes’s players gave him a guard of honour as they started his final session in the field. Mitchell now decided to play a few more shots and, with Sears, added fifty for the ninth wicket in 58 balls. Immediately after, Sears, who had already suffered one blow to his hand, suffered another painful moment off Archer and had to retire hurt. O’Rourke was out second ball, LBW to Atkinson, so Sears bravely had to return to help Mitchell get to his century. After 241 balls, Mitchell nudged the single that brought up his century: it was one of the gutsiest innings you’ll ever see, and it looked like a match-winning one, too. New Zealand then declared on 288 for nine, leaving England to chase 373. Archer finished with four for 53.

What happened next will go down as one of the most bizarre sessions of play in the entire Bazball era – which is saying something. Stokes promoted himself to open in an apparently pre-arranged effort to unsettle the New Zealand bowlers, with Gay dropping down the order. The first ball he faced he charged down the wicket and crunched the ball to extra cover, while the second was an attempted reverse sweep that went horribly wrong. First ball of the second over, he drilled one straight back at O’Rourke, who couldn’t hold on and had to leave the pitch, blood dripping from his finger. For once, Duckett was the quiet partner while Stokes swung the bat, and the fifty partnership arrived after just 43 balls. Next ball, Stokes hit a fierce pull to mid-wicket and was caught, out for 30 off 19 balls to give Foulkes his first wicket.

Three balls later and Bethell inexplicably padded up to one that nipped back a little and was LBW. Brook was promoted ahead of Root and the first ball he faced was aimed at his hip and he despatched it into the crowd for six; second ball he scooped Smith for four – it was entertaining, but ridiculous kamikaze cricket. Having hit 21 off just eight balls, he lofted the ninth down to fine leg to give Foulkes his third wicket. On commentary, Michael Vaughan called it ‘a pathetic Test match innings’ and it was impossible to find fault in that analysis. Online, people began to question whether England had set out to throw the game away, to make some sort of point. It was that unhinged. New man Root and then Duckett tried various ramps and scoops in an effort to get Blundell to stand back as a keeper; it was a high-risk tactic, but New Zealand then nullified it by moving slip back to long stop. As ever, they were ahead of the game. Duckett then got a beauty from Sears and was well caught by Mitchell for 36, the one England batter who had been beaten by a genuinely good ball. Gay came out to join Root and the pair saw England through to 103 for four at the close.

The final day began with England setting off on their forlorn chase. Smith soon accounted for Gay, finding the edge with a lovely delivery that was caught by Blundell. Later in the over, Jamie Smith and Root tried for a quick single only for Nicholls to throw down the stumps and leave Root a couple of feet short. With that, it appeared all but over. But Smith and Atkinson set about making steady inroads into the target, with Atkinson playing the anchor role as they put on fifty in 90 balls. Atkinson stuck it out for more than 90 minutes before Santner trapped him in front. It was an example of what might have been: why had England’s batters thrown away their wickets the day before, when sensible cricket had produced their biggest partnership of the innings (75)? At lunch it was 191 for seven.

The end wasn’t long in coming in the afternoon. Archer tried to leave one from Smith, but it caught the edge and Blundell made no mistake. Smith was able to complete his fifty, off 87 balls, showing his team-mates how to do it. Santner then made a brilliant run out to remove Tongue, as New Zealand once more showed their mettle in the field. The final wicket came when Jamie Smith holed out to Nathan Smith off Santner. England were all out for 212 and New Zealand had won by 160 runs.

Four years ago, ‘Bazball’ had been launched with spectacular success at Trent Bridge; it met its end here, with questions all round. England looked directionless by comparison to New Zealand, who had a plan and executed it perfectly; England – well, who knows? Stokes had spoken of losing his joy in leading this side, and you could see why, watching the confused approach in the field or with bat in hand. Brendon McCullum now has 48 hours to consider his position before England take on India in the first T20 international – an example of ridiculous scheduling brought about by the sacrosanct space left for The Hundred.

Assuming he and managing director Rob Key stay in post, they will have to find a new captain. But who? Brook surely showed (again) that he is not yet the man for the job. He needs to learn how to keep on maximising his brilliant talent, rather than fritter it away in playing Test cricket as if it’s a T20 game; his Yorkshire team-mate Root can surely point the way. Root himself is another potential captain, but reverting to him feels a retrograde step. For Bethell, it is surely too soon, though the selectors haven’t been afraid to throw him in at the deep end more than once already in his career, and he has mostly responded. Whoever they pick to take on Pakistan, they should plan to keep him in post through to the Ashes next summer.

England will also want to consider who can fulfil the all-rounder’s spot in the side, with Rehan Ahmed one option, though the largely forgotten figure of Sam Curran might be another contender. The fact that there is a gaping hole as to who captains the side and who plays the all-rounder role shows just how crucial Stokes has been. When Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff retired, there was a sense that their time was over; but with Stokes, we are left wanting more. Many online were hoping that circumstances might change and that we will see him back in an England shirt when the Ashes begin next summer, unable to resist the call to arms.