Follow UsEngland secured a sensational series win against New Zealand as the batting unit, led by Johnny Bairstow, launched an epic assault to chase down the 299-run total in exactly 50 overs. While England maintained the normal rate till Tea, it was all Jonny show post-tea. In nine overs, Bairstow and Ben Stokes chased down the remainder 102 runs to down the Kiwis to their knees.
Bairstow's 136 from 92 balls was the cynosure of all eyes and Ben Stokes was all praise for the Yorkshire batter. Bairstow later revealed that he had only one path ahead of him - to go ahead and take the attack on the opposition.
"It was great fun. When you get in that mood, you've got to just go with it. The plan that [New Zealand] set out with after tea was do or die, so you've got to do. Ben at the other end said 'don't even think about hitting one down [the ground], hit it into the stands. That was the catalyst. Today was our day, and what a day it's been,” Bairstow said during the post-match presentations.
Unlike the previous Trent Bridge matches, this was a game marred with a lot of runs. Over the course of the last five days, 1675 runs were scored and that provided Bairstow an opportunity to look at the target with a positive outlook.
"When there's been so many runs scored in the game, you don't look at it as a record run-chase, you look at it as an opportunity to chase down a total," he said. "We saw it as a one-day game. The pitch was very good, outfield was fast, and that's how you have to look at it. If you take a negative mentality, then all of sudden you're apprehensive. We have a positive approach, and the players who can play that brand of cricket, and that never-say-die attitude, and the ever-evolving confidence that people have got in that dressing room, allowed people to go and flourish.
"And I tell you what, days like this are very exciting," he added. "If this is happening now, let's see what's going to happen in the next few weeks and next few months, because it's going to be a journey."