New Zealand

Potts ended the opening day of the Lord's Test 4-13, with only a bout of cramp denying him a five-for against New Zealand on Thursday.

But after bowling the tourists out for just 132, England were plagued by familiar problems with the bat, being reduced to 116-7 after losing five wickets for just eight runs towards the end of the day.

Earlier on, Potts had needed just five deliveries to dismiss New Zealand captain Kane Williamson before going on to remove Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, and Ajaz Patel.

Potts, speaking to Sky Sports after the close of play, said his debut had been close to perfect, admitting Williamson's decision to bat first allowed him to avoid working up any nervousness before his first delivery.

"It was a great debut, great to get some wickets early on just to settle the nerves," Potts told Sky Sports.

"I think we bowled aggressive, we pitched it up there and we tried to take wickets, which has been one of our goals.

"Honestly I think it's the best way it could've worked out, rather than building up the nerves watching us bat and then not knowing how it's going to go.

"It's best to get it out of the way, get the nerves out of the body really early. It was probably the best way it could've happened.

"Once that first ball was down and in, there's no going back on that moment, so it was into my work and away we went!"

Meanwhile, Durham paceman Potts admitted to having had "a tear in the eye" prior to stepping for his first red-ball appearance at Lord's.

"It was a great achievement, I'm really over the moon with it," he said of his maiden Test display.

"[There was] a little bit of a tear in the eye this morning, and I can imagine my mum and dad will have had a tear in theirs as well!

"It's a massive thing. A lot of my hard work is down to my family, it's a testament to their hard work as well as mine."

The Black Caps won by an innings and 276 runs, as the visitors were bowled all out for 95 and 111 respectively in what was their second-worst-ever defeat.

The triumph was New Zealand's first in the Test arena against South Africa since 2004, a run remarkably dating back 16 matches.

Elgar, however, refused to lay the blame at the feet of South Africa's disrupted build-up, with no warm-up matches having been held for the two-match tour, stressing that his side need to hold themselves accountable.

"I can't say it was nerves," the opener told reporters. "We were so deep into the game, those nerves were out of our system.

"It's extremely difficult to build pressure when runs are being scored on both sides of the wicket. It also boils down to guys trying too hard. The harder you try, the more you fail.

"I am not going to use quarantine as an excuse. We are here to represent our country, and we need to be firing by the time match day comes. If that is an excuse, it's a very weak excuse to be using."

Elgar offered his backing to number three Aiden Markram however, though conceded that the batsman's fall in form over recent months at Test level is a concern.

"It's not foreign that he has been struggling," he added said.

"Maybe it's the mental game he is fighting. Naturally he is a gifted player and he is one score away from turning things around."

Stand-in skipper Latham hails depth power

New Zealand's work in Christchurch was doubly impressive given the absence of Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, with the game the first time the Black Caps have played a Test without them or Ross Taylor for 14 years.

Stand-in captain Tom Latham was quick to hail the strength in reserve on show, adding: "It is testament to the depth in New Zealand cricket that guys who haven't played a lot can step up and come up and perform straight away."

Proteas make unwanted history

Aside from suffering their second-worst loss in Test cricket – behind only their innings and 360 runs loss to Australia in 2002 – South Africa also wrote themselves into some more unwanted record books.

Their result was the biggest margin of defeat suffered by a Test side in the past decade, while no South Africa player individually scored more than New Zealand number 11 Matt Henry did in his lone knock, with 58 – just the fifth time the feat has been achieved.

The Yorkshireman's blitz of a century, with 136 runs off 92 balls, was the centrepiece in a superb five-wicket win for the hosts on the final day at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

It marked Bairstow's ninth Test hundred and third in 2022, to hand the hosts a 2-0 series advantage with one match to go on his home ground of Headingley, starting June 23.

But having faced criticism for his decision to duck out on the start of the domestic season to play IPL, the 32-year-old acknowledged he feels his call remained the right pick.

"A lot of people were saying I shouldn't be at the IPL and I should be playing county cricket," Bairstow said. "But you are playing against the best in the world at the IPL.

"Being able to have those gears, to be able to switch them up and switch them down, is important. People say it would be fantastic if you had four games of red-ball cricket under your belt.

"Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen in the current scheduling of everything and we're very fortunate to be able to play in some of the best competitions against the best players in the world.

"When it comes to pressure situations, the more you're able to put yourself under pressure, the better.

"Because it's those situations that you've gone through in the past, whether that be in the IPL, in one-day cricket or in red-ball cricket, that you're able to call upon on evenings like that.

"Those opportunities and environments, whether they be for good or bad, are the things that [mean] you're able to produce performances like we as a group have done in this game, in the last game, and hopefully will do going forward."

Bairstow further reinforced he remains a passionate devotee of the long-form version of the game, adding: "The amount of pride that it gives me to play Test cricket for England, first and foremost, is huge.

"I'm hugely proud of the fact that sometimes when the chips are down, you have to stand up.

"That might be something that you're born with, it might be something that you have deep down that springs out of you at those moments. But as a cricketer, that's something I'm very proud of."

England will hope they can wrap up a clean sweep in their three-Test series when they meet New Zealand again at Headingley next week.

Their visitors will be facing a nervy wait on Michael Bracewell, however, after the all-rounder tested positive for COVID-19, meaning he will require five days of isolation beforehand.

The West Indies on Friday named a 14-man squad that is expected to play three T20 Internationals in New Zealand later this year that included Andre Fletcher who was making a return to the squad after a two-year absence as well as Shimron Hetmyer and Darren Bravo. However, it was noticeable that Russell, Lewis and Simmons were absent.

Chief selector Roger Harper explained during a press conference Friday morning that the three batsman gave different reasons why they opted out.

Simmons, he said, decided against travelling after discussions with his family. Lewis, he said, also discussed the issue with family but was also concerned about a injury that needed more time to heal.

Russell, who is currently playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, said he needed time to clear his head after being in quarantine situations in the Caribbean Premier League and IPL competitions.

“Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell are two very experienced T20 players who performed very well on the last tour of Sri Lanka and their absence will surely be noted,” Harper said in a release from CWI.

However, the respective decisions to decline the invitations to tour will not factor in the selection process to future teams, CWI said.

England claimed an emphatic five-wicket victory over New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, thanks in large part to Bairstow's supreme performance.

Bairstow struck 136 off just 92 deliveries as he turned in one of the all-time great batting displays in red-ball cricket for England.

Indeed, his 77-ball century fell agonisingly short of matching Gilbert Jessop's 76-ball hundred at The Oval in 1902, which still stands as England's fastest Test ton.

The Yorkshireman's 136 was the highest fourth-innings score of any England batter coming in at five or lower, as he combined with captain Stokes to propel the hosts to victory with a 179-run fifth-wicket partnership.

While Bairstow's stand was eventually ended by Trent Boult, who took 3-94 for a New Zealand bowling attack devoid of the injured Kyle Jamieson, Stokes (75 not out) was on hand to hammer a four through the covers and wrap up the highest successful Test chase at Trent Bridge.

England won just one of their previous 17 Tests before Stokes replaced Joe Root – who starred in the first innings in Nottingham – as captain and former New Zealand skipper McCullum was appointed as coach. They now hold an unassailable 2-0 series lead heading to Leeds for next week's final match.

With 1,675 runs scored over the second Test – the most ever seen at Trent Bridge – Bairstow explained England approached day five as a one-day game, and he believes the team have the perfect balance to return to the top in the longest format.

"It was just great fun to be out there. It's one of those things, when you get in that kind of mood you've just got to go with it. It was do or die," he told Sky Sports.

"If you strip everything back and there's just you and the bowler there... that's the bit where sometimes cricket's so much more complicated, and it's complicated by us as players.

"When you strip it all back, you're just watching the ball – that is the zone you have to get into. Sometimes it can be tricky.

"When there's been so many runs scored in the game, I don't think you look at it as a record run chase, you look at it as an opportunity to go and chase down a total. We saw it as a one-day game – that's how we looked at it.

"I think the positive approach, the brand of cricket we're looking to play, the players we have in that dressing room are able to play that brand of cricket. I tell you what, days like this are very exciting. If this is happening now, let's see what happens in the next few weeks and next few months because it's going to be a journey."

Asked where his ninth Test century ranked among his other tons for England in the five-day game, Bairstow – who revealed his evening session onslaught was fuelled by a "cheese and ham toastie and a cup of coffee" – replied: "It's number one. I think it's tricky not to be number one, isn't it?

"There's been a lot of chatter around England's Test cricket, some of which has been a bit harsh. We've battled through different things. I'm hugely proud of the way the guys have gone about it in those few years, it's enabled us to get close as a group.

"If we're able to go forward as we have done, keep that momentum, keep it going, the sky is the limit."

Bairstow looked in fine touch as he hit an unbeaten 86 from 60 balls to lay the platform for an emphatic 95-run win over New Zealand in the second Vitality International T20 clash at Old Trafford on Friday.

The World Cup begins in India in just over a month’s time and, having played only four matches in the Hundred since the Ashes ended in July prior to this series, Bairstow is pleased to be back in action.

“I just wanted to play, to be quite honest with you,” said the 33-year-old. “I wanted to be back out playing white-ball cricket because I think that the natural rhythms of the games, whether it’s T20 or 50-over cricket, is something that, especially when you’re playing internationally, is something that’s very hard to replicate.

“You can play the Hundred, you can play for Yorkshire, but the different bowlers, the pressures, the crowds, the pitches – everything that comes with playing international cricket – is very difficult to replicate.

“So I was very keen to play these T20s leading into the ODIs and then, naturally, leading into the World Cup in a few weeks’ time.”

Bairstow combined in a thrilling 131-run partnership with Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook from just 65 balls.

Brook, who was controversially omitted from England’s provisional World Cup squad, hit five sixes in a blistering 36-ball 67.

Debutant Gus Atkinson then took an impressive four for 20 as New Zealand slumped to 103 all out in reply.

They now head to Edgbaston for the third encounter of the four-match series on Sunday with a 2-0 lead after an equally-comfortable win in Durham on Wednesday.

The sides will also play four one-day internationals this month and Bairstow expects the Kiwis – coincidentally England’s first World Cup opponents in Ahmedabad on October 5 – to bite back.

“They’re a blooming good team, New Zealand,” Bairstow said. “They’ve been an exceptional team for a long period of time and we know how dangerous they can be.

“We can’t take for granted how good these two performances have been. We’ve also got to look at how good they actually are as well, but we’ve played some exceptional cricket these last two games.

“And if we can keep doing that – and keep doing that over a longer period of time – then that can only be a good thing.

“It builds confidence, it builds an environment within the dressing room that enhances people’s performances when they go out in the middle.

“They feel like they can hit the ball for six, they feel like they can take a wicket each ball. They feel confident enough to take a risk.”

New Zealand seamer Adam Milne accepts his team need to pick themselves up for the games to come.

He said: “I think we’ll have to just regroup, but we like to keep things pretty calm in our changing room – not get too high, not too low.

“I think we’ll have a bit of a review of the game and just try and find those little bits of improvements in our games and hopefully come out at Edgbaston and throw some shots from our end.”

England could have clinched the series with victory following fine wins in Durham and Manchester, but the Black Caps posted an imposing 202 for five after Finn Allen crunched 83 and Glenn Phillips blitzed 69 off 34 balls.

It left the T20 world champions requiring their third highest chase to secure a first series success since they pipped Pakistan to the world title last November, but they made a dismal start to their reply.

Openers Will Jacks and Jonny Bairstow were out cheaply while Dawid Malan produced a painful innings of two from 11 balls as England slumped to 30 for three before they were skittled for 128 despite Buttler’s 40 at a strike rate of 190.47.

“Credit to New Zealand, they really outplayed us,” Buttler reflected ahead of Tuesday’s finale in Nottingham.

“A good toss to win and we probably let them get a few too many. Credit to them, I thought that partnership with Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips, we just couldn’t break that and they took the game away from us a bit.

“Chasing that kind of score, we needed a fast start and a really good powerplay, but New Zealand bowled well and we didn’t get anything going, any partnerships so it looks a big defeat in the end.”

On a dry and turning wicket, England’s spinners struggled and Moeen Ali, who later hit 26, was surprisingly not given the ball, which Buttler later confirmed was a tactical decision.

Adil Rashid had bowled economically to concede 23 from his first three overs, but Allen sent him out of the attack with a bang after three successive sixes in the 15th over while Liam Livingstone faced similar punishment to register one for 55.

Gus Atkinson was a rare positive for the hosts after he claimed two for 31 in his second international appearance having been a shock selection in England’s preliminary World Cup squad last month.

Buttler told Sky Sports: “Delighted for Gus and great for him to get more exposure under his belt, more games of international cricket.

“He looks very comfortable at the minute, he has settled in really well with the group and his performances have been brilliant.”

England’s batters had less to shout about with Malan following up his four-ball duck at Old Trafford with an equally disappointing innings, while star of the summer Harry Brook contributed just eight and Livingstone’s lean spell with the bat continued with two.

Assistant coach Marcus Trescothick admitted a chase of 203 was too tall an order, especially after they were 30 for two at the end of the powerplay.

“They both played well, there is no doubt about that and they did something we didn’t, which was a partnership,” Trescothick said of Allen and Phillips, who put on 88 for the third wicket.

“It wasn’t an easy pitch but if you had people get in and used to the pace of it, then it was a little easier.

“Chasing 200 you have always got to get off to a decent start. You need to get 55 or 60 in the powerplay and we lost a couple of early wickets and didn’t get going, so it put us on the back foot.

“You are always trying to play catch up at that point.”

New Zealand opener Allen was pleased to make a significant contribution after a string of starts during the last month in England where he featured for Southern Brave in The Hundred.

“It has been a frustrating last six weeks because I feel like I’ve got a lot of starts and not kicked on, so to stick one out and bat deep was quite nice for a change,” Allen added.

“Pre-game we talked about how it was important we focused on our individual roles and we pretty much nailed that as a team. Our bowlers came out and hit their areas from the start, so it was a pretty well-rounded team performance.”

The 30-year-old left-armer missed the ODIs and Twenty20 matches between the teams after suffering his injury during the Boxing Day Test against Australia in Melbourne.

However, he features in a 13-man squad ahead of the opening Test, which begins at Wellington's Basin Reserve on Friday.

Boult, who has 256 wickets from 65 Tests, is included alongside fellow quicks Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson, with Lockie Ferguson absent due to a calf injury and Ajaz Patel included as the spin option.

Coach Gary Stead said: "It's terrific to have Trent back with us and we're looking forward to the energy and experience he adds to the group alongside his obvious class with the ball in hand.

"Kyle will offer us a point of difference with the bounce he could extract on what is traditionally a good surface in Wellington.

"We're excited to welcome back Ajaz who has done a great job for us overseas and has a proven domestic record in New Zealand conditions."

Ross Taylor is due to win his 100th cap in the first Test, becoming the fourth New Zealand player to reach that mark, after Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori and Stephen Fleming.

Stead said: "To play 100 Tests for your country is an incredible achievement and a testament to his work ethic and complete professionalism."

New Zealand squad for Test series against India: Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling.

The uncapped Surrey seamer joins his brother, Craig, in a 14-man squad for the final match of the series at Headingley.

The 28-year-old has taken 21 wickets for the County Championship Division One leaders at an average of 21.61 this season.

There are no further changes to the squad for a Test against the Black Caps that starts in Leeds next Thursday.

England chased down a target of 299 to beat New Zealand by five wickets at Trent Bridge on Tuesday and win the series with a match to spare.

Jonny Bairstow scored a magnificent 136 off just 92 balls on an incredible final day in Nottingham to give England an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

England squad for the third Test against New Zealand:

Ben Stokes, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Ollie Pope, Joe Root.

Kohli equalled the record earlier this month and is now out in front as Tendulkar watched his former team-mate compile a superlative 117 off 113 balls to underpin India’s 397 for four in Mumbai.

After moving to three figures, Kohli jumped up and punched the air before sinking to his knees and soaking up the cacophonous applause from the likes of Tendulkar and former footballer David Beckham.

Tendulkar wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “The first time I met you in the Indian dressing room, you were pranked by other teammates into touching my feet.

“I couldn’t stop laughing that day. But soon, you touched my heart with your passion and skill. I am so happy that that young boy has grown into a ‘Virat’ player.

“I couldn’t be happier that an Indian broke my record. And to do it on the biggest stage – in the World Cup Semi-final – and at my home ground is the icing on the cake.”

Shreyas Iyer thumped 105 off just 70 balls while there were contributions from captain Rohit Sharma (47), Shubman Gull (80no) and KL Rahul (39), with New Zealand struggling to contain their opponents.

Tendulkar was in his home city of Mumbai to witness first-hand Kohli set a new benchmark in ODIs with a typically assured 117 off 113 balls that laid the foundations for India’s mammoth 397 for four.

After moving to three figures off 106 balls, Kohli leapt and punched the air, briefly sunk to his knees before rising and soaking up the acclaim from a frenzied crowd, including Tendulkar and David Beckham.

Tendulkar wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, he “couldn’t be happier that an Indian broke my record” as Kohli moved into a class of his own in his 291st ODI – 172 fewer than his former team-mate.

New Zealand battled hard in the chase but their hopes of a third successive World Cup final appearance were dashed despite an excellent 134 from 119 balls from Daryl Mitchell as they were all out for 327.

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami’s career-best seven for 57 took him to the top of the tournament’s wicket-taking charts after only six outings and was instrumental as the 1983 and 2011 champions gained a measure of revenge for being dumped out at the same stage of the 2019 tournament by the Black Caps.

After ending a run of semi-final defeats and claiming a 10th straight win in a tournament they are dominating, India can look forward to a showdown against either Australia or South Africa on Sunday.

There was controversy before the toss because of a late switch from a fresh to a used pitch but Kohli’s landmark innings, containing nine fours and two sixes, relegated the issue to a mere subplot.

Rohit Sharma lit the touchpaper for an India onslaught after they won the toss with 47 off 29 deliveries, while Shubman Gill contributed an unbeaten 80 off 66 balls despite struggling with cramp.

Kohli moved quickly through the gears alongside first Gill, who retired hurt on 79 before returning late on, then Shreyas Iyer, who thumped eight of India’s 19 sixes in his 105 off 70 deliveries.

This was Kohli’s day, though, and he got to his ton with a slap across the line, coming back for a second run before taking in the acclaim as Kiwi captain Kane Williamson offered his congratulations.

Kohli eventually holed out to deep backward square-leg off Tim Southee, who claimed three for 100, but India buttressed their total by adding 110 in the last 10 overs as New Zealand’s bowlers were flayed.

The 2015 and 2019 finalists slipped to 39 for two as Shami brushed the outside edges of Devon Conway then Rachin Ravindra but Williamson and Mitchell combined for 181 off 149 balls to frustrate India.

Mitchell was especially attacking – thumping seven sixes overall – and when Shami spilled a simple chance at mid-on when Williamson was on 52, the momentum was creeping slowly towards New Zealand.

Shami, though, atoned when Williamson miscued into the deep on 69 and Tom Latham was lbw two balls later to put India back in the driving seat, shortly after Mitchell had brought up an 85-ball hundred.

Mitchell kept plugging away but the required run-rate spiralled well into double figures before he gave Shami his five-for after whipping to Ravindra Jadeja on the boundary, and with him went New Zealand’s hopes.

Shami bagged Southee and Lockie Ferguson in the penultimate over to become the fifth bowler and first Indian to record a seven-wicket haul in a World Cup match as New Zealand were all out with seven balls unused.

With the game on a knife's edge, Anderson tickled a leg-side Wagner delivery through to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell to clinch the victory, with England bowled out for 256 chasing 258 for victory.

Ben Foakes seemed destined to guide England to the win after taking the lead role after slumping to 215-8 but was caught by final-day hero Wagner at fine leg off Tim Southee for 35, leaving tail-enders Anderson and Jack Leach to finish the job.

They could not, with Wagner taking the final scalp to cap his 4-62 performance after Anderson had belted a boundary through midwicket to close within two runs of victory.

New Zealand became the fourth team in Test history to win a Test after being forced to follow on, with Player of the Match Kane Williamson's second-innings century helping them back into the contest. The Black Caps win preserves their unbeaten home Test series record dating back to 2017.

England had resumed on the final day at 48-1, but were five down by drinks in the first session as the Black Caps took control. Joe Root inexplicably ran out first-inning centurion Harry Brook for a diamond duck amid the madness.

Root and Ben Stokes responded with a 121-run sixth-wicket partnership where the former skipper led the way with an aggressive 95 that included eight fours and three sixes. But Stokes and Root both fell within two overs, both to Wagner.

Stuart Broad's brief cameo ended on 11 caught by Wagner at third man off Matt Henry to put New Zealand in the box seat, with England needing 43 more runs with two wickets in hand before Foakes expertly farmed the strike, only to fall short.

Black Caps claim rare follow-on win

New Zealand were looking to become only the fourth side in Test history to win a game after being forced to follow on and achieved the feat by the narrowest margin possible. The last side to manage that was India against Australia in Kolkata in March 2001.

Wagner's final-day heroics

Left-arm fast bowler Wagner was at his tireless best on the fifth day, including taking two key catches in the field for the wickets of Broad and Foakes.

Wagner broke the crucial stand of Stokes and Root too, with the all-rounder's one-handed swat from a short delivery looping up to Tom Latham at square leg. Root fell to Wagner with a premeditated shot straight up to Michael Bracewell at midwicket in his next over.

The 28-year-old had a good look at just what it takes to get there, recently, having been teammates with top Afghan T20 spinner Rashid Khan for the Barbados Tridentsd uring this season’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL).  Khan, considered by some to be the best in the game, is currently the top-ranked T20 bowler in the world.  It is a position Walsh aspires to one day attain.

“I definitely see myself as being number one in the world.  I want to be number one as a spinner or a bowler,” Walsh told members of the media from the team’s training camp in New Zealand.

Walsh revealed that encountering Khan in this season’s CPL was fruitful, as he was offered plenty of valuable technical advice and also experienced the player’s fiercely competitive mentality first hand.

“I was really in awe of Rashid Khan and having him around.  He taught me a few grips and a few of his googlies that he has in his armoury,” Walsh recalled.

“The one thing I took away, however, is that I am a different bowler from Rashid Khan and I probably just need to be myself sometimes.  I love his mentality.  He is always up for the fight and he never backs down,” he added.

Walsh is part of a 14-man T20 squad that will play against New Zealand in three T20 internationals later this month.

In their opening match against the hosts on March 4, the West Indies scored 259-9 thanks mainly to Hayley Matthews’ sublime 119. However, Dottin who opened the innings with her, made only 12 while Taylor scored 30.

In the second match against England on March 9, Dottin made 31 and Taylor 0 as the West Indies made 225-6. In that match that the West Indies dramatically won by seven runs, it was Shemaine Campbelle’s 66 and Chedean Nation’s unbeaten 49 that spurred the West Indies to their winning total.

However, despite the relative lack of runs from two of the big three, Head Coach Courtney Walsh said he was not overly concerned about the misfiring duo expressing confidence that they will eventually come good.

“In the two games we have played we have gotten competitive scores. Obviously,  you would want to see Stafanie firing and a Diandra firing but if they can fire at the right time for us while Hayley and the others are carrying the batting, then that is good, so I am not much perturbed their chance will come and when it comes you want them to step up,” Walsh said during a media session Wednesday.

“So it’s good when the like of Campbelle and Nation can step up to the plate and prove their worth. I would like for Kycia Knight to get a decent score as well to give her some confidence. She came into the competition with some runs from the previous tour and in the warm-up games so I think she just needs a decent score to give her some confidence and if we can get that then the batting would be showing a lot more solidarity, but I am not overly concerned.”

What is troubling the fast-bowling great turned coach is the number of catches the West Indies Women have put down in their two matches so far. As many as nine catches have been floored by the Caribbean women, some of which have proved costly.

Chinelle Henry dropped New Zealand middle-order batter Sophie Devine early in her innings and the player capitalized in the best possible way scoring 108. Henry eventually redeemed herself when she caught Devine off her own bowling to pave the way for the West Indies' narrow three-run win.

Walsh admitted Wednesday that the number of dropped catches is a worry.

“I am a little more concerned about the number of dropped catches because can’t keep dropping so many catches, it might come back to haunt us and hurt us,” he said.

“We have taken some fantastic ones as well so we don’t want to write that off but I am a little more concerned about the catches we have been putting down; if it’s the conditions or we’re just not backing ourselves but I think the effort they have shown in yesterday’s game, even though we still put down a couple, it shows that they are still committed to trying to take these catches and I am happy with that.

“It might be a little bit cold on the fingers but we have to do what we have to do when we get out to play.”

“

Warner suffered an injury to his neck during the second T20I match against England on Wednesday, which forced him to miss the series finale on Friday – a match that was abandoned due to rain.

Finch is unsure whether his fellow opener will be fit enough to face India, but has no concerns over Warner's availability for the clash against New Zealand on October 22.

"I think he would definitely be right for New Zealand," Finch said. "I'm not sure about the warm-up game against India.

"I think he was okay the day after he hit his head and then the following day, his neck got really sore and stiff.

"We'll wait and see what it's like. If he's fit he'll play. If he's still a little bit sore, we'd err on the side of caution.

"I think when you've got experienced players who know what they need to do to be ready for a tournament, you're not too concerned whether they play that game or not."

Finch also confirmed Australia are taking it easy with all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh in a bid to avoid injury flare-ups.

Stoinis missed both T20I series against India and the West Indies with a side injury he sustained in September, while Marsh has not bowled in a match since injuring an ankle in the ODI series against Zimbabwe in August.

"Stoinis, the reason he wasn't available to bowl yesterday was just prior injury history," Finch explained.

"Every time that he's tried to come back and ball back-to-back games coming off the same injury he has struggled and got a niggle on the back of it. So, we went with the conservative route there."

"Mitch has been building up his bowling at the moment.  He just hasn't been at the intensity to go into a game that's required especially so close to a World Cup."

England had been due to resume on 111-2 in their first innings after bowling out the Black Caps for 378, only for persistent rainfall throughout Friday to make sure the players never made it out onto the field.

Saturday's action will be extended to try to make up some of the time lost with 98 overs now scheduled – weather permitting, of course.

Opener Rory Burns and captain Joe Root are the two not out batsmen for England, having reached stumps on the second day unbeaten on 59 and 42 respectively.

Their partnership of 93 had helped the hosts out of an early hole, Dom Sibley having departed for a duck at the start of the fourth over before Zak Crawley then fell soon after for two, leaving the score at 18-2.

Devon Conway had starred for New Zealand with the bat, the debutant becoming just the seventh player to register a double hundred on debut in Test cricket as he made exactly 200. 

After Lord's, the teams will move on to Edgbaston to conclude the two-match series, though the Black Caps will remain in England as they take on India in the ICC Test Championship final later in June.

Campbell, in truth, did indeed struggle to make a strong impression at the crease against England in July.  The left-handed batsman averaged a paltry 16.8 while tallying only 84 runs in six innings as the regional side lost the three-Test series 2-1.  Campbell was caught behind twice, while in the first innings of the final Test he was caught for 32 when attempting to negotiate a steep short delivery from Jofra Archer.  Wallace believes those struggles should have cost the batsman his spot.

“John Campbell is a very lucky man, I wish him all the best but it’s 'very best' in common letters.  He struggled in England and then came back and said why he struggled, and we are taking him for another tour of New Zealand, which is said will be tougher,” Wallace said on the Mason and Guest radio program.

Campbell was far from the only batsman that struggled in England, but Wallace believes that is a part of the broader issue and called for tougher decisions to be made when it comes to selection.

“We pick the same batsmen that struggled in England and are sending them to New Zealand, saying New Zealand is going to be a bit tougher.  How are we going to get these guys to perform?  These guys have no confidence and the selection panel is going back with the same guys tried and tested,” he added.

"There are some players that are biting at the bit to get a play and we are rewarding people with mediocre performances.  They had all the opportunities in England.  The board sent them up there a month before, they played wonderfully well in the first Test, they messed it up in the second and third and you are rewarding them for mediocrity with a tougher Test?”

Brooks was deservedly named man-of-the-match, in large part due to compiling a steady 79 from 91, which underpinned much of the West Indies' success in responding to the New Zealand total.

The player's efforts were all the more impressive after the Kiwis struggled to come to grips with a difficult surface, where Kane Williamson had the highest score with 34.

Brooks, however, had plenty of support, particularly from Windies skipper Nicholas Pooran who was uncharacteristically restrained in a knock of 28 from 47.

“It was just getting the start, that was ideal.  As I said before the wicket wasn’t the easiest to bat on but the longer we spent out there is the easier it got,” Brooks said in assessing the situation.

“I told him (Pooran) that we had never had a partnership in this form of cricket and that I was looking forward to it.  So, we just put our heads together, as I said it was tough going at the start but Nicky put down his head.  It was a bit out of character because he is normally very fluid and plays a lot of shots but it was very good in the end.”

Resuming on 196 for 6 following on after being bowled out for 138 in their first innings, the West Indies showed some fight with a 155-run seventh wicket partnership between Jermaine Blackwood and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph. However, once Joseph was dismissed for a career-best 86, the West Indies fell away to inevitable defeat.

Blackwood scored only his second Test century (104) in one of the few bright moments for the West Indies. His was the eighth wicket to fall as the home side closed in for the kill.

Afterwards, a frustrated captain, held nothing back.

“We just weren't good enough. We passed the bat quite a few times but credit to Kane, he made us toil,” said Holder who tried to find a few positives to highlight.

“We still had some positive stuff with our bowling unit. Our batting wasn't good enough. I have to congratulate Blackwood and Joseph for their innings. But quite frankly our top order needs to do better.

“We're still scratching our heads. Our preparations have been good. We had two solid warm up games and although the surface was different, I think we need to show better application up top.”

Holder said the team had to find solutions to the problems plaguing the team that has now lost three of their last four Test matches.

“We need answers and we need ‘em quickly,” Holder said while revealing that the West Indies will be without the services of their most experienced bowler for the remainder of the tour and the possible loss of his wicketkeeper through injury.”

“Kemar pushed through this Test match but he'll be going home to be with his family now. Shane, we're not quite sure about the extent of his hand injury. Looking pretty doubtful for the second Test. As I said to the other guys, it's time to deliver and stop talking. We've talked a lot and we've promised a lot. Now it's time to look ourselves in the mirror and fight. We've thrown in the towel too easily. We need to change that.”

New Zealand clinched just their third series win in England – and first since 1999 – as they eased to a win which takes them to the top of the ICC Test rankings.

The Black Caps, who face India in the ICC Test Championship final next week, did the damage on Saturday, leaving England heading into day four on 122-9 in their second innings.

Trent Boult dismissed Olly Stone with the first delivery on Sunday, and New Zealand tallied up the 38 they required to win within the hour, although Devon Conway and Will Young lost their wickets.

England do not play another Test series until August, when they host India, and Root knows there is much to improve upon.

"More than anything, it's what we can take from it. You can have bad sessions on occasion with the ball but you can't have a session like that with the bat," he said at the post-match presentation.

"That's cost us, but throughout the game New Zealand outplayed us. If we lose quick wickets, how are we going to get through that? Mentally we have to make sure we're resilient and we manage passages of play better.

"It's the lessons from watching the opposition, using the experience in the dressing room, and trying to make sure when you're in the same situation to don't make the same mistakes.

"You can look for excuses but they outplayed us, they played good cricket and we've not matched that. We know we're better than this."

England have white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan coming up, and Root is hoping a switch to a different format will offer a reset for some of the squad.

"Freeing the mind, look at the game in a different context, it can liberate you. It's the chance to go back into a different format and find rhythm," he added.

"You can never beat wickets and runs."

New Zealand stand-in captain Tom Latham surpassed 4,000 Test runs on Sunday, and fittingly clipped away the winning boundary.

"Great to have that performance, through the four days it was outstanding, with a few changes, everyone came out and did their roles. It was a complete team performance," he said.

"[England have] a fantastic attack, a lot of wickets among them. We played them really well on surfaces we weren't expecting at Lord's and here. I thought we adapted well."