Bairstow and Root seal Headingley victory to complete a 3-0 series win over New Zealand

England completed a clean sweep against New Zealand, with a seven wicket victory over the visitors at Headingley by mid-afternoon on the final day.

Set 296 for a 3-0 series win, England thanks to another fine knock from Jonny Bairstow and a typical Joe Root innings saw another victory under the captaincy of Ben Stokes.

England went into the final test without the services of Jimmy Anderson who was injured with Surrey’s Jamie Overton taking his place for his England test match debut.

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat. The visitors lost the wicket of Tom Lathan to the sixth delivery of the match after edging Broad to first slip without scoring.

Fellow opener Will Young(20) fell to Jack Leach before Broad picked up the wicket of the New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson(31).

Overton bagged his maiden test wicket by bowling Devon Conway(26) to leave the visitors 83-4.

By the time Leach had picked up the wicket of Henry Nicholls(19), the visitors were struggling on 123-5.

It was once again down to the duo of Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell to dig New Zealand out of trouble. The pair put on 120 for the sixth wicket before Matt Potts trapped Blundell leg before for 55.

It was down to the outstanding Mitchell to make another big score against England, this time hitting 109 and becoming another victim for Leach who finished with figures of 5-100 as the visitors were bowled out for 329.

England were soon in trouble when Trent Boult ripped through the top order, removing Alex Lees(4), Zak Crawley(6) and Ollie Pope(5) to leave the hosts in serious trouble on 17-3.

The reply went from bad to worse with Joe Root going for 5 the hosts had subsided to 21-4. Captain Stokes decided to play some attacking shots and made a quick 18 before chipping the ball straight to mid-off to leave England 55-5. Ben Foakes lasted only three balls before being trapped lbw by Neil Wagner as New Zealand reduced the hots to 55-6.

Enter Jonny Bairstow. Along with Overton the pair put on 241 for the seventh wicket with all rounder Overton falling agonisingly three short of a century.

Bairstow went on to make a magnificent 162 before falling to the off spin of Michael Bracewell as England were bowled out for 360, an overall lead of 31 runs.

New Zealand, thanks to half centuries from Latham, Mitchell and Blundell were eventually dismissed for 326 with Leach bagging another five wickets to finish with match figures of 10-166.

England were set a target of 296 for victory inside over a day and a half. The chase got off to a bad start when Lees was run out for nine. Crawley made 25 before holing out to cover.

A partnership of 134 between Pope and Root got England to within 111 of their target before Pope was bowled by Tim Southee for 82.

It was down to Root and Bairstow to see England home with the former England captain finishing unbeaten on 86 and Bairstow 71 off 44 balls including 50 runs coming in boundaries.

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