Southee departs on a high as ENG win 2-1

On the final day of the third Test at Seddon Park, New Zealand completed a resounding victory by 423 runs, as they bowled England out for just 234 runs in their second innings, with the visitors needing an improbable 658 runs to win. England’s batting once again crumbled under pressure, and despite a fighting knock from Jacob Bethell 76 and some brief resistance from Joe Root 54 and Gus Atkinson 43, New Zealand’s bowlers were relentless, wrapping up the match before tea.

Set an almost impossible target of 658 runs, England began the final day on 18/2, with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett both dismissed cheaply on Day 3. England’s hopes rested on their middle order, but New Zealand’s bowlers quickly destroyed those as well.

Jacob Bethell provided the only significant resistance for England, scoring a patient 76 off 96 balls, including 13 boundaries and one six. He played some elegant strokes but was ultimately dismissed by Will O’Rourke.

Joe Root, who had been solid in the first innings, showed grit again in the second, contributing 54 runs off 64 balls. However, his dismissal to Mitchell Santner (who claimed 4 wickets for 85) at a crucial juncture dashed England's hopes of mounting a substantial recovery.

At the close of play, England’s innings ended on 234, with Ben Stokes unable to bat due to injury, leaving his team to fall short by a huge margin. The final wicket fell in the 47th over of the day, as Brydon Carse was stumped off Santner, confirming New Zealand's overwhelming victory.

Mitchell Santner was the undisputed hero of the final day. He claimed a remarkable 4 wickets for 85 runs in England’s second innings and played an instrumental role in dismantling the opposition's lower order. His performance, combined with his crucial knock of 76 runs in New Zealand's first innings, earned him the Player of the Match award. (Santner finished - 14.2 overs 85 runs 4 wickets Economy rate: 5.93)

Alongside Santner, Matt Henry and Tim Southee were pivotal in the destruction of England’s top order. Henry took 2 wickets for 62 runs, while Southee claimed 2 wickets for 34 runs in his final test match. The support from Will O’Rourke 1/37 and Santner’s all-round brilliance ensured that New Zealand maintained their stranglehold throughout England’s second innings.

Despite England’s defeat in the final Test, Harry Brook was awarded Player of the Series for his stellar performances with the bat throughout the series. Brook amassed 350 runs across the three Tests, including two crucial half-centuries. His consistency in the middle order was one of the few bright spots for England during the tour.

England won the series 2-1, and now sit 6th on the World Test Championship Standings table.