Related items

• Woakes replaced by Potts for final New Zealand Test match

  England have replaced Chris Woakes with Matthew Potts for the third and final Test during their tour of New Zealand in Hamilton.

  The visitors are coming into the Test with the Crowe-Thorpe trophy already secured, having won in Christchurch and Wellington.

  With the pressure off to some extent, England are using it as a chance to rotate their seamers, with Potts winning his first cap since playing against Pakistan in October.

  This will be Potts' 10th Test cap for England as he faces the same opposition against whom he had success in 2022 during his first summer as an England international.

  "We're looking forward to giving Pottsy an opportunity to see what he can do this week," said captain Ben Stokes.

  "He's got a massive engine on him. He can go all day and bowl a lot of overs, but not just that, he's a very skilful bowler.

  "He's a versatile bowler, you can use him with the new ball and the short-ball plan that we go to because he's so fit. He can bowl you 20 overs one day, then rock up again and bowl you another 20."

  Potts took 14 wickets in three Tests four years ago and, now 26 years old, will be aiming to stake a long-term claim for a place in England's pace-bowling options.

  Woakes might have been expected to keep his spot in the team had the series been alive, having resurrected a previously floundering international career.

  Despite a disparity between his figures at home and on the road, he ended the year with eight wickets at 35.63 in three overseas appearances.

  "Woakesy came into the winter tours with a bit of scrutiny behind his away record, but I think what he has done has proved a lot of people wrong," said Stokes.

  "He's been fantastic for us, he was great in Pakistan and pretty influential over here too.

  "At 2-0 up, you put yourself in an easier position to make that change, and we want to be giving opportunities and experience to the guys who don't always get that."

• England captain Stokes placed too much emphasis on the Ashes

  Ben Stokes believes he has been putting too much emphasis on England's next Ashes series and plans to start keeping a check on expectations ahead of facing Australia.

  England play their most fierce rivals Down Under for a five-match Test series starting late in November 2025.

  But before then, they have a one-off Test with Zimbabwe and a marquee series against India, while their finale in New Zealand begins on December 13.

  Captain Stokes conceded he has mainly been looking a little too far ahead.

  In quotes reported by BBC Sport, the all-rounder said: "In interviews in the summer and stuff like that a lot was pointed towards the Ashes, which was a long way away.

  "You do always have one eye on that but we have six more Tests before that.

  "It's just making sure I keep my focus on being in the here and now and what we've got coming up, and when the Ashes is our next series, then we will focus on it.

  "Through my own fault I maybe spoke a little too much about the Ashes and putting too much emphasis on that series considering how much cricket we had to play before that.

  "Every Englishman and Australian knows the Ashes is a big series for both teams, but toning down on the expectations on that series is something I will be better at in the build-up.

  "In leadership roles, you can differ from where you first started and think that's the right thing to be saying or be thinking about, which then takes you away from what has been a successful mindset. It's a learning curve as a leader, I guess."

  Stokes and the England decision-makers opted to blood new talent this year, with Jamie Smith chosen as first-choice wicketkeeper, Shoaib Bashir as primary spinner instead of Jack Leach, while veteran James Anderson retired from five-day duty, albeit the decision was almost made for him.

  "We had to make some decisions around what we think is best for the team going into that Ashes series. We want to go out there and we want to get that urn back," Stokes added.

  England are looking to complete a series whitewash of New Zealand when they face the Black Caps on Wellington in the upcoming third Test.

• Root hails Brook as the best in the world after consecutive centuries

  Joe Root believes team-mate Harry Brook is "by far and away the best player in the world" after both men starred in England’s second Test victory against New Zealand.

  Brook backed up his century in the first Test with another in Wellington, before Root reached three figures in the second innings.

  The pair are ranked first and second in the ICC Test match rankings – Root on top and his fellow Yorkshireman behind him – but the former England captain insists Brook is the better player.

  Root told BBC Sport: "To be able to construct an innings like that off the back of another exceptional hundred the week before, with such an all-round game - he can absorb pressure, he can apply it.

  "He can whack you over your head for six. He can scoop you over his head for six. He can smack spin. He can smack seam.

  "Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute."

  Brook's Test average of 61.62 is the third-highest of any batter to have played at least 20 Test innings, while 2,280 runs from 23 Tests is the most of any England player in history after that number of games.

  Only four men have made more Test centuries than Root's 36, though, and Brook was full of praise for his senior partner.

  He said: "I'm trying to catch him but he [Root] is too good, isn’t he? He’s obviously one of the best players, if not the best player, to have ever played the game.

  "It's mega to play with him and he’s awesome to watch."

  Root is the leading scorer (1,470) in Test cricket in 2024, having struck a career-joint-best six 100s in the year.

  The final Test of England's three-match series against the Black Caps begins in Hamilton on Saturday as the tourists aim for a whitewash victory.