Stuart Broad hailed the mentality new Test coach Brendon McCullum has instilled in England, with the New Zealand great encouraging his side to play with freedom.
England completed a fourth-innings chase of 279 in the opening Test against the Black Caps at Lord's, with Joe Root posting a majestic unbeaten 115 to guide his team to victory.
But more fireworks were to follow at Trent Bridge when England chased down 299 in just 50 overs on the final day as the McCullum era got off to a magnificent start.
Jonny Bairstow bludgeoned the second-fastest Test century for England on Tuesday, with new captain Ben Stokes providing more than capable support to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead over New Zealand in the three-match series.
Much has been made of McCullum's coaching methods, which are said to focus on mentality as opposed to technique during the match, and Broad was quick to credit his coach.
"There's no doubt that Baz has had an impact already," said Broad.
"It does feel really fresh and exciting in the changing room. It's a very positive language. It's very forward-thinking, all about how to move this game forward.
"This is no dig but at tea, when we were four down with the game in the balance slightly, I've certainly been in changing rooms in the past where that would be shut up shop time.
"Baz's team talk was very much 'let's attack the danger; let's run towards the danger' so every part of your mind is about going for this win.
"It was never really a case of 'if we lose one we might shut up shop'. It was always 'we're going to win' and if it doesn't work, don't worry about it."
Root has continued his batting form in impressive fashion after stepping down as England Test captain in April, with Stokes taking the role.
Chris Silverwood was also dismissed as coach and Broad says McCullum has brought the focus back to the excitement of cricket, with players enjoying the challenge and the occasion.
"I don't think he's spoken particularly deeply, his whole mantra is about enjoyment and fun," he added. "The energy is: how good's Test cricket? How good's this ground? What can we get out of today?
"He looks like a guy who has a cricket brain that is working all the time, he's thinking how we can change the game.
"It's not just praising guys who get a hundred, it's tiny little things, bits of fielding, momentum changes in the game. He will bring attention to that."
While McCullum has enjoyed a great beginning to his role, downing the world Test champions in both matches, even the New Zealand legend may have not expected the heroics of Bairstow.
The Yorkshire star smashed a 77-ball century in a game-changing 179-run partnership with Stokes as England chased the remaining 160 runs in the final session with ease.
"I didn't quite expect to see what I saw from Jonny. It was the most outrageous hour I've seen in Test cricket from a partnership. It was just exhilarating, astonishing," Broad continued.
"That striking...only a handful of players in the world can do that. Jonny is obviously in that group."
Sri Lanka make light work of New Zealand to complete series sweep
Sri Lanka won by an innings and 154 runs in the second Test against New Zealand to complete a 2-0 series clean sweep.
The tourists fought hard on day four in Galle, but despite the efforts of Tom Blundell (60), Glenn Phillips (78) and Mitchell Santner (67), Sri Lanka got the job done in emphatic fashion.
Having been skittled all out for 88 in their first innings, chasing Sri Lanka's mammoth total of 602-5, New Zealand at least showed more fighting spirit on Sunday.
Sri Lanka simply had too much, though, with New Zealand bowled out for 360 when Santner's stand came to an end.
Debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris sent Santner packing, and he took a starring role with 6-170 across the Black Caps' second innings, while he had earlier dismissed Phillips and Blundell.
Prabath Jayasuriya (3-139) helped round things off, as Sri Lanka claimed their third straight Test victory.
Elsewhere, there was no play on day three of India's second Test against Bangladesh due to a wet outfield.
Data Debrief: Back-to-back against the Black Caps
Sri Lanka have clinched back-to-back Test victories against New Zealand since November 2012.
They have also now won five of their last six Tests at Galle International Stadium, with their only defeat in that span coming against Pakistan in 2023.
New Zealand, on the other hand, have now won just one of their last 11 Tests on the road (D3 L6), with that victory coming in Bangladesh last December.
'Frustrated' Schmidt eager to improve after disappointing Rugby Championship
Australia coach Joe Schmidt is determined to build on a disappointing Rugby Championship after being "frustrated" by their 33-13 defeat to New Zealand.
The Wallabies made a strong start on Saturday but found themselves trailing at the break after a topsy-turvy first half, and failed to get a single point on the board in the second as the All Blacks stretched their lead.
It was their ninth consecutive loss to New Zealand, who also beat them 31-28 in round five, and they have now won only one of their last six Test matches, losing the other five after making an unbeaten start under Schmidt.
Australia finished last in the four-nation tournament, with Schmidt rueing some of their missed chances after they slumped in the second half.
"I thought we created a few things early but what we had a lot of frustration [about] in that first half was slow ball," said Schmidt on Stan Sport.
"We were digging the ball out from amongst bodies on our side and that was really frustrating because it broke our rhythm.
"We started really strongly, got that try and then missed a couple of chances. They connect so well back off the sideline a couple of times, running back laterally and then connecting up with square runners.
"But just talking to Scott Barrett there, we made them work for it, and we're going to keep working for ourselves and make sure opponents do have to work for anything they get, and we try to get a little bit more."
Australia's tour in November, which includes Tests against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the nations that contribute players to the Lions, is next up, and Schmidt is looking forward to their next challenge.
"It's a bit like when we come up against the All Blacks, you know it's going to be a really tough tour.
"But if we can keep building through that tour, then I think we put ourselves in a position of potentially being competitive next July [against the Lions]."
Meanwhile, New Zealand's victory was their first in Wellington since June 2018, ending a five-game winless run in the capital.
They made a slow start to the game before rallying to a dominant comeback win, but captain Scott Barrett was just happy to triumph in Wellington.
"Really pleased to reverse the curse," All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett said.
"We didn't start too well, but I'm really pleased with how we finished: some grit in defence, and we held out the Aussies."
Peiris and Jayasuriya star as New Zealand crumble on day three
Prabath Jayasuriya and Nishan Peiris starred in the field as New Zealand's middle order collapsed, keeping Sri Lanka in control on day three of their second Test.
The tourists struggled in the morning and despite a bright start to their second innings later on, they struggled to put Sri Lanka under pressure.
New Zealand resumed at 22-2 in their first innings in the first session, but Jayasuriya (6-42) did not let them find any momentum. Kane Williamson was dismissed for seven runs before the rest of their middle order toppled for 47, leaving them with 88 runs.
Such was Sri Lanka's dominance in their first innings, finishing on 602-5 and leading by 514 runs, New Zealand picked up the bat once again for the second session.
Tom Latham was dismissed for a duck by Peiris (3-91), but Devon Conway (61) and Williamson (46) restored some pride before the wickets started to fall once more.
Tom Blundell (47 not out) and Glenn Phillips (32 not out) steadied the ship before poor light and then heavy rain cut the play short. They will resume at the crease on Sunday at 199-5.
Data Debrief: A tale of two partnerships
Sri Lanka's batters did most of the heavy lifting, but their bowlers also stepped up as they took 13 wickets on Saturday.
Debutant Peiris took six of those overall, three in each session, while Jayasuriya got seven with his hard work done by lunch.
New Zealand's tally of 88 is their lowest all-out score against Sri Lanka, with Conway and Williamson's partnership stand of 97 bettering the team's first-innings score.
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