England may have been absolutely hammered by New Zealand in the third and final Test of the three-match series, but heading home with a first series win since 2008 is a fine achievement for Ben Stokes and Co.
The captain himself has left the country of his birth with questions swirling over his future as a genuine international all-rounder after suffering another hamstring issue while bowling.
There were a number of impressive performances with the bat across the order, with both Harry Brook and Joe Root among the tons, while Ollie Pope’s positional shift appeared to yield profit while deputising behind the stumps.
Jacob Bethell’s introduction at No 3 came with plenty of noise on social media, but it proved a very shrewd decision by Brendon McCullum and Stokes, though there were others who didn’t quite live up to the standards we have seen them capable of in recent series.
But who shone the brightest over the three Tests? Who returns home after a difficult series? And has anyone furthered their case to start against Zimbabwe in England’s next one-off Test?
Here, Mail Sport’s expert LAWRENCE BOOTH runs you through who starred in New Zealand, and who had a series to forget.
Captain Ben Stokes and England picked up a first series win in New Zealand since 2008
The tourists were however handed a thumping defeat in the final Test – Tim Southee’s farewell
Here Lawrence Booth runs the rule over the visitors and rates their performances in the series
1 Zak Crawley
Couldn’t lay a bat on Matt Henry, except when providing him with a return catch or edging to slip. It won’t bother England, though.
5.5 Ben Duckett
His only innings of substance – 92 at Wellington – came with the cushion of a big England lead. At times sold his wicket too cheaply.
8 Jacob Bethell
Thrown in at No 3, to the disgust of social media, he cut a less frenetic figure than Pope, and ticked off a trio of second-innings half-centuries. A good headache for England to have.
7 Joe Root
Averaged below 12 in the first innings and – when the pressure was off – 91 in the second. But Test century No 36 was a reminder of his greatness.
Zak Crawley couldn’t lay a bat on Matt Henry, who removed him six times in the series
Jacob Bethell answered the pre-series critics in fine fashion and ticked off three half centuries
Joe Root’s 36th Test century was a sign of his enduring class despite a poor first innings average
8 Harry Brook
Scored match-winning centuries in the two live Tests, at Christchurch and Wellington, before O’Rourke reduced him to mortality at Hamilton.
7 Ollie Pope
Played an important second fiddle to Brook in the two wins, scoring 77 and 66, and kept wicket well. But loses a point for a ludicrous shot on the last day at Hamilton.
7 Ben Stokes
Averaged 52 with the bat and chipped in with seven wickets, but overbowled himself in the dead third Test and now faces another fitness crisis after hurting his hamstring.
6.5 Chris Woakes
Broke the back of New Zealand’s second innings at Christchurch by removing Williamson and Blundell in two balls. Fared better with the Kookaburra than many expected.
Harry Brook scored match-winning centuries in both victories before being brought back to mortality in Hamilton
Stokes’ series ended with injury but the England captain averaged an impressive 52 with the bat
Gus Atkinson’s first year as a Test cricketer could scarcely have gone better and he picked up a hat-trick in Wellington
Brydon Carse was the star of the tour as the best bowler on either side as he was in Pakistan
7.5 Gus Atkinson
Continued his stellar first year in Test with a hat-trick at Wellington, where he also made useful runs.
9 Brydon Carse
As in Pakistan, the best bowler on either side. His working-over of Williamson at Wellington was one of the highlights of the tour.
6.5 Matthew Potts
Wayward at times in his only Test, at Hamilton, but picked up four wickets, and is in the mix as the Ashes workhorse.
4 Shoaib Bashir
Began with a four-for in Christchurch, but his next three innings brought him four wickets at 86. Australia won’t be worried just yet.
