Harry Brook and Joe Root both hit centuries as England won the second Test by 323 runs in Wellington to secure a first series victory in New Zealand since 2008.
Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope also impressed with the bat in the crushing win, but Zak Crawley failed again to make a meaningful contribution.
Meanwhile, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse continued their fine starts to international cricket.
Here, Dom Harris rates the players out of 10 following a fine all-round performance.
Zak Crawley – 3/10 (First innings score: 17; Second innings score: 8)
Despite two comfortable Test victories and a batting line-up dominating the Kiwi bowling attack, one man facing the heat is Zak Crawley, who has endured a miserable tour and is under mounting pressure to keep his place in the team.
Crawley’s dismal record against New Zealand continued, averaging just 6.50 this series with Matt Henry claiming his wicket on each occasion.
The opener’s positivity was on display in Wellington, becoming the first player to hit a six off a seamer in the first over of a Test match, before dispatching Tim Southee for back-to-back boundaries to begin the second innings.
However, even in this era of Bazball, short cameos and an unremarkable average of 30.90 over 52 tests should not be enough to make his position in the side as secure as it seems.
Ben Duckett – 7/10 (First innings score: 0; Second innings score: 92)
A Test match of two halves with the bat for Ben Duckett.
After being dismissed without scoring on the opening morning, Duckett was back to his fluid best in the second innings as he scored 92 off just 112 balls in a 187-run partnership with Jacob Bethell as England boosted an already sizeable lead.
There will once again be slight frustration around his discipline outside off stump against the new ball and failing to convert another half century into three figures, but the opener has now surpassed 1,000 runs in 2024 – only behind Joe Root and India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Jacob Bethell – 8/10 (First innings score: 16; Second innings score: 96)
At the age of 21 and playing in just his second Test match, Jacob Bethell has adapted to international cricket like a player well beyond his years.
Following an unbeaten half-century to secure victory in Christchurch, Bethell recorded his highest first-class score of 96 during the second innings.
Though missing out on a maiden ton, Bethell’s strokeplay and temperament makes him a natural fit for this England Test team and justifies the surprise decision by the selectors.
His inclusion at number three in the absence of Jamie Smith is considered temporary, but performances like this may well see that become a more permanent one.
Joe Root – 8/10 (First innings score: 3; Second innings score: 106)
Joe Root gave a reminder – if you even needed one – as to why he is the number-one ranked Test batter in the world.
His century in the second innings, including a trademark reverse ramp to reach the landmark – was his sixth of this calendar year and the 36th across his career as he went level with Indian great Rahul Dravid in fifth place on the all-time list.
Root, who had fallen cheaply to Nathan Smith in the first innings of both Tests, now has a remarkable 19 Test match tons since 2021 – 10 more than the next best Kane Williamson.
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Harry Brook – 9/10 (First innings score: 123; Second innings score: 55)
Harry Brook is currently ranked as the second best Test batter in the world behind team-mate Root, even if his fellow Yorkshireman believes he is “by far and away the best player in the world”.
Brook registered an eighth Test hundred and second consecutive this series, playing a crucial role in recovering England from 43-4 on the first morning.
His 91-ball century included some audacious shots given the context of the game and boosts in Test average in excess of 60 – with his overseas average now at a staggering 91.50.
Ollie Pope – 7/10 (First innings score: 66; Second innings score: 10)
Ollie Pope entered this series under pressure following a poor run of form in Pakistan, but has shown his class with valuable contributions.
For the second Test running, Pope was part of a game-changing century stand with Brook to steer England away from trouble early on.
Proving reliable as a stand-in behind the stumps, Pope also registered a second consecutive half century at number six – albeit his dismissal was much more of his own doing this time around – as talk intensifies around his most suited position in the batting order.
Ben Stokes – 7/10 (First innings: 2 & 1-21; Second innings: 49* & 3-5)
The England captain is showing positive signs he is getting back to near his best this tour following recent injury troubles.
After missing out in the first innings, Ben Stokes hit a quickfire 49 unbeaten as England declared to set the hosts a mammoth chase.
Most notably, Stokes was able to get more overs under his belt and even claim the final three wickets in a quick burst to wrap up the victory – encouraging signs indeed ahead of crunch series against India and Australia next year.
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Chris Woakes – 6/10 (First innings figures: 1-26; Second innings figures: 2-20)
Chris Woakes’ much-publicised troubles away from home continue to linger in the background.
Very much in the shadow of the emergence of Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, the 35-year-old put in a solid shift with the new ball, with a particularly good spell in the second innings to dismiss Devon Conway and key man Kane Williamson.
Gus Atkinson – 8/10 (First innings figures: 4-31; Second innings figures: 1-68)
Gus Atkinson has had quite an eventful beginning to his Test career.
After securing maiden five and 10-wicket hauls over the summer, as well as notching a century at Lord’s, Atkinson became only the 15th English player to take a hat-trick in Test cricket.
The three dismissals, including a celebrappeal that Stuart Broad would be proud of, blew the New Zealand tail away on the morning of day two to hand England a significant lead on first innings.
Brydon Carse – 8/10 (First innings figures: 4-64; Second innings figures: 2-53)
If Atkinson was England’s find of the summer, then Carse has certainly been the gem of a selection in the winter.
The Durham quick continued his impressive start in an England shirt as the pick of the seamers once again, adding a further six wickets to his 10 in the first Test at an average of just 12.8.
His two wickets late on the first day swung the match firmly in England’s favour and he also showed his quality in the field, with a diving catch at mid wicket to remove Rachin Ravindra in the first innings.
He then took a sharp chance off his own bowling to remove Kiwi captain Tom Latham in the second innings.
Shoaib Bashir – 5/10 (Second innings figures: 2-110)
The spinner had a watching brief for much of this Test in seamer-friendly conditions, not being required to bowl first time around.
During the second innings, the 21-year-old had to show a lot of character as Tom Blundell showed real intent in a counter-attacking knock.
Despite an economy rate just shy of six runs per overs, Bashir held his nerve to claim two wickets which included centurion Blundell.
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