England vs New Zealand Third Test Day 5 Live Score: Ben Stokes bids farewell, Bazball fades into sunset as New Zealand win series 2-1

New Zealand’s winning captain – Tom Latham walks up to Michael Atherton with a big smile. He calls it a really special moment that the team has been building towards since the first ball of the series. He says it was a collective effort throughout, with the group sticking to a style of cricket that suits them. Old school, disciplined and something he is really proud of. Coming back from 1-0 down, Latham believes New Zealand did plenty of good things at Lord’s despite the defeat, pointing to a tricky surface and several moments that could have gone either way. From there they came to The Oval, played their brand of cricket and individuals stepped up when the team needed them. Looking back, he says they won key moments and that made the difference. In the crucial moments of this Test, Latham points to the opening partnership on Day 1 as a strong foundation, although he felt they could go further from that position. He adds that the burst of four to five quick wickets on Day 3 was just as crucial and shifted the momentum firmly in New Zealand’s favour. He points to the third innings partnership between Mitchell and Ravindra as the moment that settled it. He says they were under immense pressure when the pair came together and the way they batted was simply outstanding. Mitchell in particular gets a special mention. Latham calls him the man New Zealand want in the middle when the going gets tough, and he has thrived in the battle. In a chaotic final session on the fourth day, as the crowd reacted to news of Stokes’ retirement and England sent him in to open the innings, Latham mentions that it’s exactly the kind of situation this group prides itself on. Latham then turns directly to Stokes with a message on behalf of the entire New Zealand side. He congratulates him on an extraordinary career and calls him a once-in-a-generation player. Latham acknowledges the battles between the two sides have been fierce over the years, but on behalf of everyone in the New Zealand camp, he wants Stokes to know he’s had a fantastic career and to enjoy every moment of his retirement.