New Zealand defeated England by 160 runs at Trent Bridge on Monday, June 29, 2026, clinching the Test series and overshadowing Ben Stokes' final international match.
The Black Caps completed the series win on day five of the third and deciding Test.
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England collapsed during a difficult run chase on a deteriorating wicket affected by baking heat.
Stokes, who retired after being dismissed in his final Test innings on Sunday evening, described the match as grueling.
"It was a hard fought game. A pretty tough one to be involved in.
The game going down to the fifth day they are mentally and physically tiring," Stokes told Test Match Special.
He praised both teams for their effort in testing conditions.
"I think the way both teams stuck at it, kept coming in pretty testing conditions, I think we testament to the hard work both teams showed towards playing the sport."
Pitch Conditions Shifted
Stokes noted that the pitch changed significantly after a docile opening period. The surface became increasingly unpredictable as the game progressed.
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"I think we did pretty well [first innings] to the total New Zealand ended up putting on the board.
As the game went on you could see what the weather did to the pitch.
It was docile in the first day and a half then the heat started to bake the wicket.
It became more up and down," Stokes said.
England had fought back after New Zealand opened their first innings with a 320-run partnership. However, the worsening conditions made the run chase difficult.
"Conditions changed and having to adapt to that, I think both teams did pretty well.
Looking back at the start and New Zealand were 320 for none and the way we were able to fight back into the game by being pretty relentless with the ball.
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It was always going to be a difficult run chase on that wicket which was getting worse and worse," Stokes added.
