Bowlers finish off Black Caps after Root's relentless century

England could scarcely have been made to feel more welcome in New Zealand, be it a warm-up game tailored to their specifications in Queenstown, those eight dropped catches in Christchurch, or the cheery ground announcer regaling spectators with Harry Brook's eye-popping statistics throughout the two Tests.

- Ali Martin

And what have England done in return? Pretty much bulldozed their way to securing the new Crowe-Thorpe Trophy in the space of seven days and with a third match still to play. Sealed with a 323-run hammering in windy Wellington yesterday, it made for England's first series victory on these shores since 2008 - a tour, like this year, that saw the attack rebooted - and their first on the road since Pakistan in late 2022.

Ben Stokes has also moved to 19 wins as England's Test captain, one clear of Mike Brearley's 18 from the same number of games (31). This series in the country of his birth has pointed to a brighter future after the 2-1 defeat in Pakistan in October during which he was consumed by his fitness and the stress of a burglary back home. Bowling once more, back among the runs, and smiling with it, this has been a hugely restorative trip.

While he enjoyed mopping up New Zealand's tail with the ball and figures of three for five, that smile was never broader than earlier in the day when, having opted to plough on with an overnight lead of 533, he watched Joe Root bring up his latest Test century.

It came on 98 with the return of the much-maligned reverse-ramp, with Will O'Rourke gloved to the rope and Root barely able to suppress laughter.

New Zealand's players all applauded the milestone, despite the extra misery its pursuit had brought. "I thought it was awesome," Stokes said later, having declared on 427 for six.