5 Players Whose Stock Rose During England vs. New Zealand Test Series
It may have been brief, but the two-Test series between England and New Zealand was a superb advert for the longest form of the game.
Both matches went into the final session on day five, with the games having been in the balance until the third innings.
England came out on top in the opener, but the Kiwis battled back to square the series and make sure honours ended even.
The teams were helped by excellent pitches at Lord's and Headingley. Runs were there to be had, but the bowlers on both sides always felt like they were in the game.
As the dust settles on the 1-1 draw, and before the start of the one-day series, we have picked out five players whose stock rose at the start of the English summer.
1. Alastair Cook (England)
Before the tour of the West Indies, Alastair Cook's batting form was a serious area of concern for England.
However, the left-handed opener has now hit two centuries in his last three matches, with his last half-a-dozen Test scores reading: 105, 4, 16, 162, 75 and 56.
During his knock of 75 at Headingley, Cook became the leading Test run-scorer in England's history, overtaking his mentor Graham Gooch at the top of the list.
In all, he scored 309 runs in the series against New Zealand, finishing with an average of 77.25.
With runs flowing again, Cook can now focus all his attention on the upcoming Ashes series against Australia.
No longer in England's one-day plans, he will get the chance to play first-class cricket for Essex before he returns to Test duty.
2. Ben Stokes (England)
Ben Stokes seemed to enjoy coming up against the country of his birth.
The Durham all-rounder was the star turn in the opening Test at Lord's, scoring 92 in the first innings and then 101 second time around.
The left-hander's hundred was not only the second of his career but also the fastest ever made at the home of cricket, as he reached the milestone in 85 balls.
He followed up his batting exploits with three wickets in New Zealand's second innings, including dismissing Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum in successive deliveries.
His display led to a lot of media attention, and it was always going to be hard for him to replicate the same level of performance in the second Test.
Stokes' bowling was expensive (his economy rate for the series was 4.49), but he provided England with a feel-good story at the start of a huge summer.
3. Trent Boult (New Zealand)
It doesn't matter what form of cricket he is playing, Trent Boult just takes wickets.
He arrived in England just prior to the first Test after a stint in the Indian Premier League for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, yet the change from white to red ball didn't seem to bother him at all.
The left-arm seamer—who earlier this year played a starring role in New Zealand's run to the Cricket World Cup final—picked up 13 wickets in the series at an average of 24.84.
England's left-handers certainly didn't enjoy facing Boult—he dismissed poor Gary Ballance three times in four innings, including knocking over his stumps twice at Headingley.
The 25-year-old was named New Zealand's man of the series.
4. Mark Wood (England)
Picked ahead of Chris Jordan, Mark Wood impressed when given his first taste in Test cricket.
The Durham bowler had carried the drinks on the recent tour of the Caribbean, but he was let loose on New Zealand.
He finished with nine wickets at an average of 33.22, with only Stuart Broad (13 wickets at 25.38) recording better figures for the hosts.
Lord's is never an easy place for a bowler to make his debut, and Wood didn't help his cause when an early wicket was wiped out for over-stepping the front line.
However, his pace (and his imaginary horse, as Chris Stocks pointed out in the Daily Mail) offered something different in England's seam-heavy attack.
He found the going a little tougher at Headingley, though Alastair Cook still turned to him with the second new ball on the fourth morning.
Wood, who also looked handy enough with the bat down the order, has given England's selectors plenty of food for thought ahead of the Ashes.
5. BJ Watling (New Zealand)
You would have been given good odds for BJ Watling finishing the Test leg of the tour to England as New Zealand's leading scorer.
The wicketkeeper, who didn't actually keep wicket for long in the series, made 254 runs at an average of 84.66.
Watling hurt his knee on the opening day of the first Test and was unable to don the gloves again.
He was, though, able to bat at Lord's, producing a battling knock of 59 in over three hours at the crease to hold up England's victory push on the final day.
But, with his injury not healing in time, it appeared the 29-year-old would lose his place in the XI for Headingley.
However, an injury to Corey Anderson allowed Watling to play in the second Test as a batsman.
He made the most of the opportunity, hitting his fifth Test century in New Zealand's second innings. His knock of 120 was pivotal in helping his side win the game, and he was rightly named man of the match.
All stats used were from ESPN Cricinfo