Watch: Jonny Bairstow-Ben Stokes help England smash 160 runs in 16 overs to script record Test chase – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

It was truly the beginning of a new era for England under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes as a belligerent performance by their batters saw them chase down 299 runs in 50 overs on the final day of the second Test against New Zealand.

Despite losing three wickets early in the chase, England never took their foot off the pedal and Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes did not slow down even once in the chase. While Bairstow smoked a match-winning 136 from 92 balls – the second-fastest Test hundred for England – captain Ben Stokes smashed 75 off 70 balls as he played second fiddle. Together the duo dominated New Zealand and sent them on a never-ending leather hunt.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand were knocked over for 284 before lunch and thus England needed 299 to win — the highest ever to claim a test victory at Trent Bridge. While this was challenging, it certainly did not phase Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow as they counter-punched after three early wickets and thrilled the packed crowd at Trent Bridge.

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The match has now the record of having the most boundaries in a Test match with 250 in total and this includes 24 sixes.

For England, the score read 139 for four at Tea and they had lost their premier batter in Joe Root for just three. However, Bairstow and Stokes did not care what the scoreboard said as they smoked 102 in the first nine overs after the interval.

Although, Ben Stokes was hampered by a knee injury, Bairstow led the charge as the partnership added 179 runs in 20.1 overs. Bairstow raced along to his century off just 77 balls. When he was dismissed by Trent Boult, he walked out having hit seven sixes and 14 fours.

England smashed 160 runs in the final session in just 16 overs and their run rate of 10 in the final session the highest for a team in a single session of a Test match.