Jonny Bairstow’s 77-ball hundred powers England to stunning win at Trent Bridge and series victory | Cricket News
Jonny Bairstow creams 14 fours and seven sixes in 77-ball hundred as England race to target of 299 against New Zealand to win second Test by five wickets and take unassailable 2-0 series lead; England’s first series victory since winning in Sri Lanka in 2021
Last Updated: 14/06/22 5:32pm
A rampant Jonny Bairstow scored a 77-ball hundred as England pulled off a stunning victory over New Zealand
Jonny Bairstow smashed England’s second-fastest Test hundred, from just 77 balls, as his side romped to a target of 299 against New Zealand and clinched a first series victory in 17 months in devastating style.
Bairstow (136 off 92 balls) looked on course to trump Gilbert Jessop’s record 76-ball ton, set against Australia at The Oval way back in 1902, during a staggering post-tea onslaught at a packed-out Trent Bridge.
The Yorkshireman and skipper Ben Stokes (75no off 70) crunched 133 from the first 69 balls in the final session as New Zealand’s short-ball ploy backfired spectacularly.
Bairstow was on 43 from 48 balls when he strolled out after tea, with his team requiring a further 160 runs from 38 overs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest, having needed just shy of 300 from a minimum of 72 overs when the chase began.
Bairstow promptly nailed New Zealand seamer Matt Henry for back-to-back fours to bring up a 51-ball fifty – and reached three figures just 26 deliveries later after creaming Henry, Trent Boult and Tim Southee all around the ground and into the stands during a blistering display of batting.
Bairstow was eventually dismissed by Boult with 27 runs required – departing to a standing ovation – leaving Stokes and Ben Foakes (12no) at the crease as England cantered to the highest successful Test run chase ever seen on the Nottingham ground with 22 overs to spare.
Stokes sealed victory by slamming Boult through the covers for four as a Test that began with New Zealand piling on 553 runs after losing the toss ended with England toasting a truly staggering triumph.
More to follow.
