England series ratings: Which batter has emerged as a good headache to have? Who proved to be the best bowler on either side? And which star reminded us all of his enduring greatness? England lost in Hamilton but still won a first series in New Zealand in 16 years Ben Stokes' series ended on the medical table after another hamstring injury READ MORE: England suffer huge 423-run defeat by Black Caps in third Test By LAWRENCE BOOTH Published: 07:23, 17 December 2024 | Updated: 07:53, 17 December 2024 e-mail View comments 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 seri.
