Jonny Bairstow hit the second fastest 50 for England in Test cricket as they made light work of a 113-run target on Monday to beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the third and final test at Headingley and ensure a 3-0 series victory.
Bairstow, whose batting heroics was key to ensuring England won the second Test, picked up where he left off from Trent Bridge as he brought up his 50 in 30 balls and then took England to victory on the last day with an unbeaten 71, finishing off with a six.
A 111-run partnership with Joe Root, who was 86 not out, saw England reach the competitive victory target of 296 as they completed their first clean sweep of a home series in over a decade. Rain delayed the start of play by 90 minutes but it then took just over an hour, and 15. 2 overs, for England to canter to victory.
Resuming at 183-2 overnight, they needed 113 runs for victory and were very much in the driving seat even if Ollie Pope was dismissed with the fifth ball of the day. Root, who had been 55 overnight, little chance to get to a century. The last time England swept a home series was a 4-0 success over India in 2011.
