New Zealand seize control as Stokes ends Test career

Ben Stokes’ third men’s Test comes to an end on day five as New Zealand close in on victory at Trent Bridge. England are 212-9 at 51 overs, with Nathan Smith and Mitchell Santner driving the collapse, and New Zealand move toward a win by 160 runs. Stokes said

By the time Ben Stokes stepped into his media rounds, the cricket had already moved on without him. England’s bid to keep a grip on the fourth and final day of their series against New Zealand had narrowed to a last. bruising scramble—212-9 at the start of the 51st over—while Stokes prepared to accept the curtain falling on his Test career.

“I accept that people might be asking questions. But at the end of the day this is a decision I’ve made. And I hope people can understand and respect that the reasons I’ve made this decision is it’s best for me.”

The timing landed with the strange weight of a farewell. England’s first home series defeat since 2012 was confirmed—of series of three or more matches—and the curtain came down on Stokes’ career as New Zealand made history on the pitch in what felt like the latest twist in an already surreal four weeks of cricket.

New Zealand win by 160 runs, and it arrives with a moment that feels like a stamp on the match. Jamie Smith goes for another big shot down the ground, and Nathan Smith—arguably the player of the series—takes an excellent low catch down to his left, sprinting along.

England’s last stand kept running on instinct rather than structure. At the 50th over, England were 212-8, with Smith on 60 and Josh Tongue on 2. Smith had added three straight boundaries to bring the over to a close against Santner.

When Jamie Smith reached fifty, the atmosphere still carried tension rather than celebration. He had cut away for four to bring up an 87-ball half century. and the moment drew recognition even from those who had been wary of England’s rhythm. “Positive but not reckless,” Nasser Hussain said after the shot.

The wicket that finally moved the finish line closer came quickly after. On the 51st over, Tongue was run out for 2. New Zealand had one wicket away.

This was the kind of dismissal that turns a chase into a countdown. Tongue ticked one around the corner, set off, and was sent back by Smith. At square leg, Santner ran around the ball, picked up with his left-hand, aimed, and nailed one stump. Tongue dived but could not make it.

Earlier that afternoon. the match had already swung far enough that England were simply trying to keep the scorecard from collapsing faster. At 46th over, England were 198-7. Five runs came off Santner’s over, including four byes as a slip went down the legside. Archer then pinched a single, with five men still crowded around the bat.

Three overs earlier, at 43rd over, England were 191-7 at the lunch break, trailing by 181 runs. New Zealand’s morning had been relentless. Emilio Gay edged behind, and Joe Root was brilliantly run out by Henry Nicholls. It was a sequence that kept England from ever building something steady enough to threaten the total.

That run-out was just one of several moments where New Zealand looked sharper than the home side’s plans. England’s batting seemed to be living one over at a time—sometimes working, sometimes not—and on more than one occasion the pitch punished timing.

As the chase unfolded, New Zealand kept stripping away options. At 42nd over, Atkinson had survived and the contest held at 191-7 with Smith on 47 and Archer on 0, but the next breakthrough was waiting.

At 41st over, Gus Atkinson was out lbw to Santner for 19 after he went back to the arm ball and was struck on the back leg, bang in front. Atkinson had faced over 150 balls in this Test with the bat, and after that partnership ended, England’s innings slipped into its final phase.

The pressure had already left its fingerprints. A not-so-pretty stat appeared in the middle of the day: Gus Atkinson had faced more balls than any other England batter in this Test match.

Between wickets and boundaries, small details filled the gaps. Ben Sears was bowling with a broken index finger on his bowling hand. The innings itself had reached a grim sort of milestone for England at 30 overs—meaning England had passed 29.5 overs at Melbourne. which had been the shortest ever England innings in the Stokes era.

Even the build-up to lunch carried a sense of inevitable momentum. At the 29th over, England were 155-6 with Smith on 29 and Atkinson on 2, and the match had an unusual calm for this Test—before it turned again.

There was also the story that floated through the broadcast. pulled from Kimberley: vandals and protesters digging up the pitch at Headingley in August 1975 during the third Ashes Test. Activists protesting the imprisonment of George Davis broke in overnight. dug large holes in the wicket. and poured oil over it. forcing the match to be abandoned as a draw.

And there was the recognition that New Zealand were already running short of bowling depth on the day. The account was clear: it didn’t appear that Ben Sears was on the pitch. he was injured yesterday. and O’Rourke was injured today. New Zealand were basically down to three bowlers, yet England were already six wickets down.

In the later overs, the end kept coming closer. At 47th over, England were 199-8 with Smith on 48 and Tongue on 1. At 48th over, England moved to 200-8 as 200 up arrived for the home side, though the pitch continued to turn sharply.

Then, with the series already decided, wickets turned the contest into closure. Archer was dismissed at 46th?. No—that came at the 47th over when Archer c Blundell b Smith for 2 made England 198-8. Smith dropped a shorter ball in; it didn’t really get up; Archer attempted to leave and the ball kissed the face of his bat. Blundell took a simple catch.

New Zealand’s control was no accident. One by one, they pushed England into corners they couldn’t escape.

When the final sequence arrived, it didn’t just deliver the win—it delivered a verdict. “Bazball dies where it began,” Michael Atherton said on the Sky airwaves.

So Stokes’ farewell sits inside a wider story that cricket fans will be replaying long after the final ball. Two of the greatest ever retirements. A nightclub incident. Off-the-pitch speculation for the ages. And now New Zealand making history on the pitch. closing England out of a match that ended. at last. with a 160-run victory and the unmistakable sound of a career curtain falling at the wrong time—only for it to be exactly the time Stokes had decided was best for him.

Ben Stokes retirement New Zealand vs England Trent Bridge Test match day five Jamie Smith Nathan Smith Mitchell Santner Gus Atkinson Joe Root run out England home series defeat since 2012