Stokes credits opening day turnaround for massive win

England completed their first series win after 16 years in New Zealand after a demolition of the hosts in the second Test in Wellington by 323 runs. Joe Root romped to his 36th Test ton before the English bowling attack bundled out New Zealand for 259 in 54.2 overs, who were in pursuit of a monumental 583 runs.

Skipper Ben Stokes was elated with the series win and felt the dominant cricket which his side played over the two Tests put the two teams apart. Despite having been bowled out in just above 50 overs in the first innings, he felt that the visitors had put up a good first innings score after being in trouble early on at 43 for 4. It resulted in the ample amount of time his bowlers had to dismantle the opposition's batting order.

"In this Test in particular, on Day 1 we were 43 for 4 to be here on the winning side on day three is quite phenomenal. We got bowled out in fifty overs (54.5) but we had 270 [280] runs on the board which was a good score on that day one-wicket, and then we obviously had time left with the ball to be able to make some inroads. To score 270 and take five wickets at the end of day one really set this game up."

Stokes had to only rely on his pacers in New Zealand's first innings who were all amongst the wickets (including himself). Gus Atkinson, who had figures of 4 for 31, picked up a hat-trick to break through the lower order while Chris Woakes too scalped a four-wicket haul for himself.

The English captain credited his bowlers for their commitment in putting the ball on a length, time and time again, in the fourth stump channel. The consistency of the English bowlers was duly rewarded with five wickets on the first day before they bundled out the opposition in 8.5 overs on Day 2.

"As a bowler you want to be able to plonk it on a length and plonk it onto the top of off stump over and over again. But sometimes when a batter is brave enough to take you on and knock you off your length, it's very hard to commit to still doing that."

Another big talking point in the lead-up to the series was 23-year old Jacob Bethell being ushered into the squad after the injury to Jordan Cox in the nets. Bethell, who scored a half-century on debut at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch last week, scored 96 in England's second innings. He fell agonisingly short of his 100 by merely four runs after he looked to drive through the covers but instead nicked off to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.

Stokes admitted that Bethell didn't have enough experience in the First-Class level but wanted the talented youngster to be exposed at the highest-level of the game. He was also impressed with Bethell's mindset after he was dismissed for 96, who wanted to drive the ball through the covers to bring up his maiden ton.

"I know there was a bit made of Beth batting at three with his inexperience and the lack of first-class cricket batting up the top of the order. But me and Baz don't think like that. You've got a young lad with so much potential and so much talent, why not let him go out there and expose himself to Test cricket at its toughest.

"As a young lad, I was devastated for him to not get that three figures. But I walked in and I said to him, "it's only four runs, isn't it?" And his response was "Yeah, but it would have been flair if I smacked that through the covers to bring it up." Class. I think he's proved a lot to a lot of people and proved why we rate him so highly."

New Zealand captain Tom Latham gave due credit to England, and especially Harry Brook for putting his side under pressure after Latham's side had created early inroads on Day 1 to leave the visitors perilously poised at 43 for 4. Brook has so far scored 349 runs in just three innings in the two Tests so far.

"It's the pressure they are able to put you under, especially with the bat. I think on day one it was offering enough for our bowlers and the way Harry played in that innings was outstanding. Credit where it's due. The way he played puts you under pressure from ball one. He played some incredible shots that you don't necessarily see from other teams around the world."