Ben Stokes’ last match as England captain ended in a crushing 160-run defeat as New Zealand, boosted by wickets early on the final day and backed by sharp fielding despite Will O’Rourke’s injury, came from behind to win the series 2-1 at Trent Bridge.
Ben Stokes walked into what was supposed to be the end of an era as England captain, only for it to end with a heavy hand—his side bundled out and beaten by 160 runs as New Zealand turned a series shaped as much by off-field drama as cricket into a 2-1 triumph.
The final day swung early. Two wickets fell inside the first 20 minutes, including world No 1 batter Joe Root, and New Zealand kept plugging away on a deteriorating Trent Bridge pitch. Fielders supported a bowling attack that carried on successfully despite the injury to Will O’Rourke.
Emilio Gay was the first to go. hanging out his bat perilously to a delivery from around the wicket by Nathan Smith. England then lost a second wicket in five balls when Jamie Smith pushed to the off side to get off the mark and left Root short of his ground. Henry Nicholls swooped from point and threw down the stumps in one motion to seal the dismissal.
There was a moment of direct contrast with New Zealand’s earlier frustration at the wicket taken in response to Harry Brook’s dismissal. After Brook scooped straight to fine leg. Rachin Ravindra had been heard saying: “What are they doing?” On this fourth-innings deterioration. England played far more orthodox cricket. holding 116 for six while New Zealand tightened the screws.
Surrey wicketkeeper Smith found a willing ally in county colleague Gus Atkinson. Together, they crept to within seven minutes of lunch, but New Zealand struck again when Mitch Santner won a leg before decision against Atkinson.
After lunch, Smith reached his half-century with the first of three fours in a row off slow left-armer Santner. For a spell, it looked like partners might be found. Instead, wickets arrived in a way that felt almost comical in its sequence. Jofra Archer was caught behind attempting to withdraw his bat. Josh Tongue was then punished for venturing out of his ground while contemplating a single to the offside—Santner’s bullet throw found its target.
The chase was wrapped up when Smith, having already gone down the ground against Santner successfully, picked out long-on.
New Zealand’s win came in a series that had already been dominated by off-field drama: Stokes missed the second match and retired towards the back end of the third. Yet they kept their focus through all of it. adding England’s scalp to the one they claimed against India last year—leaving Stokes’ captaincy finale as a painful. emphatic defeat on Trent Bridge.
Ben Stokes England captain New Zealand vs England Trent Bridge 160-run defeat Joe Root wicket Henry Nicholls run out Mitch Santner LBW series 2-1
160 run defeat is brutal. Cricket is so random sometimes.
I didn’t even know it was his last match as captain but dang, Root getting out in the first 20 mins feels like a curse. Also Trent Bridge pitch sounds like it was doing whatever it wanted.
So wait, O’Rourke got injured and New Zealand still won? Sounds like England just got unlucky with injuries and the pitch. I mean, if Henry Nicholls threw it down in one motion then yeah, that’s probably why it happened… right?
The headline says “off-field drama” but then it’s still cricket, like shouldn’t that drama be the main reason? I keep hearing Stokes retired but also he was captain?? Like England had all that and still lost by 160, makes no sense. Trent Bridge deteriorating pitch… is that code for they changed the field or something? Either way, I’m just glad it ended, because I’m tired of hearing about this series.