New Zealand clinches test series win against England to spoil Ben Stokes farewell

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NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — New Zealand won a test series in England for the fourth time by wrapping up a 160-run victory in the third test at Trent Bridge on Monday, bringing an end to the international career of home captain Ben Stokes.

Resuming on 103-4 and chasing an unlikely 373 to win, England was dismissed for 212 soon after lunch on Day 5 as New Zealand clinched the series 2-1.

The New Zealanders’ other series wins on English soil were in 1986, 1999 and in 2021 — the latter being in a two-match series.

“We're a small country down the bottom of the Earth and something we pride ourselves on is we get stuck into whatever is needed to be done and try and get the job done,” said New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell, whose gutsy 100 not out in the second innings helped his team set a daunting and unrealistic target for England.

“Sometimes it’s being pretty and sometimes it’s getting dirty and doing the little things really well. Just really proud of this group.”

New Zealand captain Tom Latham, a century-maker in the first innings, described the series win as “really special.”

“To come out and play our style and stick to our brand as best we can, to me that’s the most pleasing thing,” Latham said.

Stokes announced on Sunday he would be stepping down as England captain after four years after this test, and also retiring from the international game after 15 years with the national team. He didn’t have an active role on Day 5 since he was dismissed for 30 late Sunday after opening the batting.

“It would have been great to have gone out with a series win and a win,” Stokes said, “but that’s in a perfect world and this world certainly isn’t perfect.”

It was England’s first defeat in a home series of three or more tests since 2012. The team has lost seven of its last nine test matches, a streak that piles the pressure on the leadership team of coach Brendon McCullum and director cricket Rob Key.

McCullum said he intended to stay in his role.

“There was some good stuff and I still believe that we have a firm direction of what we’re wanting to do and how we’re wanting to play, and what we’re wanting to achieve,” he said.

England’s final-day hopes realistically rested on Joe Root and Emilio Gay — the remaining specialist batters who resumed from overnight — but they both departed in the fourth over, having walked to the middle with the boundary boards around the ground displaying the message: “Thank you Ben Stokes.”

Gay (10) edged behind and Root, England’s all-time leading run scorer, was brilliantly run out by Henry Nicholls for 18.

A seventh-wicket stand of 75 runs between Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson held up New Zealand’s charge before lunch, before Atkinson (19) was trapped lbw by spinner Mitchell Santner.

The end came 15 minutes into the second session, when Smith was dismissed for 60.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket