England vs New Zealand LIVE: Cricket result from third Test as Bairstow and Root fire England to victory
Follow all the reaction from Headingley as England seal a series whitewash against New Zealand
Jonny Bairstow hit England’s second fastest half century ever as they made light work of a 113-run target to beat New Zealand by seven wickets and seal a 3-0 series whitewash on Monday.
Bairstow, whose batting heroics were key to ensuring England won the second Test, picked up where he left off from Trent Bridge as he brought up his half century in just 30 balls and then took England to victory on the last day with an unbeaten 71, finishing it off with a six.
A 111-run partnership with Joe Root, who finished 86 not out, took England to the competitive victory target of 296 as they completed their first clean sweep of a home series in over a decade.
Rain delayed the start of play by 90 minutes but it then took just over an hour for England to canter to victory. Follow all the latest reaction from today’s match with our live blog below:
Relentless England ease to series whitewash over New Zealand
Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root completed England’s third blistering chase in a row to kick off their riotous new era under Brendon McCullum with a series whitewash over New Zealand at Headingley.
Root barely broke a sweat as he finished with 86 not out and fellow Yorkshireman Bairstow continued the form of his life as he crashed 77no to seal a seven-wicket win and a 3-0 scoreline.
In keeping with their astonishing efforts over the past month, England needed just 15.2 overs and a shade over an hour to score the 113 runs required for victory, with a pair of local boys fittingly at the fore.
Bairstow, following up two unforgettable attacking centuries, blazed the second fastest Test 50 in English history just a week after claiming the second fastest hundred. He brought up his half-century in 30 balls, two more than Sir Ian Botham’s 1981 record, and finished the game with the last of three huge sixes.
Ben Stokes and McCullum took over as captain and head coach at the start of the summer hoping to revitalise the fortunes of a side that had won just one of their last 17 Tests, and have started their reigns with a hat-trick of remarkable victories at Lord’s, Trent Bridge and now in Leeds.
Relentless England ease to series whitewash over New Zealand
England beat New Zealand by seven wickets at Headingley as Ollie Pope, Joe Root and the irrepressible Jonny Bairstow all scored heavily
More from Ben Stokes on Jack Leach
“When I took on this job it was more than about results for me. It was about a change of mindset for me - we want people to be feeling the love for Test cricket. I’m not 100% sure it has been lost but over the last three games I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I said I wanted to be entertainers coming into the series and we’ve certainly done that.
“Sometimes the batting can overshadow the bowling with the way we play but for Jack Leach to take 10 wickets at Headingley, where it isn’t renowned for taking wickets, and even the responsibility I’ve put on his shoulders and the overs he’s bowled. It was fantastic to see and I’m just seeing him growing as a bowler and as a character as well.”
Ben Stokes discusses England’s victory
Speaking to Test Match Special, England captain Ben Stokes said: "Good day, wasn't it? Good series too. I'm really happy.
"I don't know how we've won that from 55-6. We've said we'll go out and play a certain way regardless of the situation and it's worked for us. After Jamie and Jonny's partnership I said in the changing room 'don't underestimate the impact our mentality now will have on people that may come into the side in the future'. Jamie's contribution was massively crucial.
"Trent Bridge was amazing to be a part of but I look at the way that this game has played out and we've stuck with what we've said we're going to do. Those situations are really hard to stick to what you've said you're going to do - that is the most pleasing for me. Everyone went out and showed that same intent and putting that positive influence onto the game and it's turned out with us winning the game."
Joe Root named England’s Player of the Series
Joe Root named England’s Player of the Series for his exploits with the bat. Here’s what he had to say.
“It was like some of the 50-over stuff we play. Try to get him [Bairstow] on strike and let him go. I’m sure everyone at home will be delighted to see that just as we are in the dressing room. He’s a phenomenal player and it’s great to see him showing the world how good he is. He’s playing with such confidence and freedom.
“The guys are getting more and more confident. I think we should concentrate on looking at what this team has done over the last three weeks.”
Jack Leach wins Player of the Match
Jack Leach named Player of the Match for this third Test. Well deserved after he took a pair of 5-fers for his first-ever ten-wicket haul in a Test match. He was bowled early in both innings by his captain and repaid the faith.
England’s rapid run rate
England's run rate of 4.54 in this series is the highest for any team with a minimum of five innings batted in a Test series. Unbelievably aggressive (and successful) batting.
Jonny Bairstow’s remarkable series
Jonny Bairstow finishes the series with 394 runs from 328 balls. A truly remarkable stat bearing in mind this is Test cricket. He’s been liberated under the leadership of Brendon McCullum and is now perhaps the most in-form batter in world cricket
England vs New Zealand
A brilliant, convincing victory for England in the end. Joe Root ended unbeaten on 86 and Jonny Bairstow did likewise on 71.
They made a fourth-innings chase of almost 300, albeit on a well-preserved Headingley pitch, look simple. It took them just over an hour today to knock off the remaining 113 runs. The confidence flowing through this side right now is remarakble.
Relentless England ease to series whitewash over New Zealand
England powered past New Zealand at Headingley to complete a 3-0 series whitewash and cap the perfect start to the Test team’s new era under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
Jonny Bairstow’s aggressive approach was at the heart of England’s performance once again as he blasted a rapid 71 from 43 balls – to go with 80s by Ollie Pope and Joe Root – as the hosts shut down any faint hope of either a New Zealand win or a draw after a rain-delayed start to the final day’s play.
Relentless England ease to series whitewash over New Zealand
England beat New Zealand by seven wickets at Headingley as Ollie Pope, Joe Root and the irrepressible Jonny Bairstow all scored heavily
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