ENGLAND V NEW ZEALAND PLAYER RATINGS: Bracey unsurprisingly flounders

ENGLAND V NEW ZEALAND PLAYER RATINGS: Wicketkeeper James Bracey unsurprisingly flounders in two jobs that are alien to him while Matt Henry put a mediocre record behind him with accuracy for the visitors

• It’s hard to see how England stick with Zak Crawley after his performance
• James Bracey would not even be among the top 10 keepers in county cricket 
• In his third Test, Will Young showed England how to bat in their own conditions
• Matt Henry was smart and dismissed all of England’s top three on the third day

England lost a home Test series for the first time since 2014 after an eight-wicket defeat by New Zealand.

A poor batting display on day three saw Joe Root’s men head into day four with a 37-run lead with only one wicket – which was taken on the first ball of day four – remaining.

The Black Caps then knocked off the 38 runs required within the hour despite losing two wickets as they warmed up perfectly for the World Test Championship final against India in Southampton on Friday.

Here, Sportsmail‘s LAWRENCE BOOTH takes you through the winners and losers of the second Test match between the sides at Edgbaston. 

England lost a home Test series for the first time since 2014 after an eight-wicket defeat by New Zealand

Helped give England a base on the first day, but now has one Test fifty in his last 11 innings. Surviving only because others are doing worse. Debate over his technique will never go away.

Rory Burns – 6.5 

Earned points for a solid 81 in the first innings, but lost a few for the shot that kickstarted England’s collapse on the third afternoon. To chase a wide one from Henry, when New Zealand’s top order had demonstrated how to play straight, was mind-boggling.

Zak Crawley – 2 

Looked broken when he fiddled at Wagner to make a first-innings duck, although he did unfurl some nice drives in the second. But 17 was his first double-figure score in seven innings, and it’s hard to see how England stick with him.

It’s hard to see how England stick with Zak Crawley after his performances in both innings

Joe Root – 3

Was carrying the weight of an entire batting line-up on his shoulders, and looked as if he knew it – especially in the second innings, when 11 in 61 balls was one of the least fluent knocks of his career. Has to take some responsibility for failing to pick a frontline spinner.

Ollie Pope – 5 

Keeps getting in, then out: his last 12 Test inning have produced 11 scores between 12 and 34, which suggests his new off-stump guard is as much a hindrance as a help. Still looks classy at times, but has forgotten how to build an innings.

Dan Lawrence – 6 

His first-innings 81 not out provided one of England’s few highlights. His second-innings duck was a reminder of his inexperience. Took an important wicket with his bouncy off-breaks.

James Bracey – 1

Asked to do two jobs that are alien to him – bat at No 7 and keep wicket – and unsurprisingly floundered in both. Would not even be among the top 10 keepers in county cricket, so how did he end up doing the job for his country?

James Bracey would not even be among the top 10 keepers in county cricket, so how did he end up doing the job for England?

Olly Stone – 7

Deserved better than two for 92, because he had Young dropped on seven and Blundell on nought. Occasionally lost his line, but he never stopped running in, and made a good fist of batting at No 8, which is at least one place too high.

Mark Wood – 7

Couldn’t match the economy-rates of Broad and Anderson, and is still prone to bad overs: New Zealand’s No 10 Ajaz Patel hit him for 14 as England strove for the last wicket. But he hurried the opposition like none of his team-mates, and his first-innings 41 kept England in the game.

Stuart Broad – 8

The game might have been different if the umpires’ soft signal hadn’t been not out when Broad had Conway caught at third slip by Crawley. But he still ended up with an excellent four for 48, overtaking Courtney Walsh in the all-time Test table.

James Anderson – 6 

Not at his best on his record-breaking 162nd appearance, but barely went at two an over – a sign of the respect with which Test batsmen have learned to show him.

Stuart Broad took an excellent four for 48, overtaking Courtney Walsh in the all-time Test table

New Zealand

Tom Latham – 6

One of the few New Zealanders to make little impression with the bat, but his captaincy was in the Williamson mode: calm and unobtrusive.

Devon Conway – 8 

Got away with some confused umpiring when he had 22, but made it count again with another game-shaping knock.

Will Young – 8 

In only his third Test, he showed England how to bat in their own conditions. Grateful, no doubt, for a spell at Durham.

In only his third Test match, Will Young showed England how to bat in their own conditions

Ross Taylor – 7.5 

Looked scratchy at times, but used all his nous and experience to survive a testing spell under lights from Broad on the second evening.

Henry Nicholls – 5

Rattled by Wood, who hit him on the helmet, then had him caught behind down the leg side next ball.

Tom Blundell – 7

Useful runs after being dropped on nought, and took two smart catches standing up to Patel.

Daryl Mitchell – 6

Kept things tight as fourth seamer, but played a loose pull at Stone.

Ross Taylor looked scratchy at times, but used all his nous and experience to survive the tests

Neil Wagner – 8

Has a habit of being all over certain batsmen: Crawley in the first innings, Pope and Lawrence in the second. Hell of a team player.

Matt Henry – 8.5 

Put a mediocre record behind him to remove Sibley and Root in quick succession after lunch on the first day, then all of England’s top three on the third. Accurate and smart.

Ajaz Patel – 7.5 

Was given a couple of freebies (Pope in the first innings, Bracey in the second), but his presence underlined England’s mistake in failing to pick a proper spinner.

Trent Boult – 8

Might have been rusty after missing Lord’s, but still bagged six wickets in the match. A class act.

Matt Henry put a mediocre record behind him to remove Dom Sibley and Joe Root on the first day

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