England captain Eoin Morgan said his side were beginning to see the fruits of their one-day labours after sealing a dramatic 3-2 series win over New Zealand on Saturday. Jonny Bairstow, only called into the squad on Friday after fellow wicket-keeper/batsman Jos Buttler suffered a hand injury during fielding practice, was England's hero at the Riverside with 83 not out as they won by three wickets under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
England, who had slumped to 45 for five, chased down a revised target of 192 in 26 overs with six balls to spare after a lengthy rain delay that started before they batted.
"Names throughout the side have put their hands up on different days and Jonny Bairstow was no different today," said Morgan.
For Morgan, this series has been a personal and collective triumph following a World Cup where England suffered an embarrassing first-round that included an eight-wicket defeat by eventual finalists New Zealand in Wellington in February.
"Everything that's happened in this series is stuff we've strived for over the last couple of years and it hasn't quite happened," he said.
"But with this group of players it's certainly turned things around, with the attitude, the skill level being particularly high against a quality side like New Zealand."
Morgan added: "Names throughout the side have put their hands up on different days and Jonny Bairstow was no different today." Meanwhile man-of-the-match Bairstow said: "Obviously I'm really disappointed for Jos, but delighted to have got the call and to make a contribution is fantastic."
Bairstow has been in fine form his season, averaging over 80 with the bat for county champions Yorkshire.
Saturday witnessed the 25-year-old's maiden ODI fifty, with Bairstow facing 60 balls in total, including 11 fours.
Bairstow and Yorkshire team-mate Adil Rashid (12 not out) saw England home with an unbroken stand of 54 off 29 balls.
For older fans, it revived memories of another all-Yorkshire match-winning stand for England, when Bairstow's late father David, also a wicket-keeper, and Graham Stevenson put on an undefeated 35 for the ninth wicket in a two-wicket ODI victory against Australia at Sydney in 1980.
When Stevenson, making his debut, came out into the middle with England struggling at 129 for eight, David Bairstow greeted him by saying: "Evening lad, we can piss this."
True to his word, David Bairstow finished on 21 not out and Stevenson an unbeaten 28 as England won with seven balls to spare. Jonny Bairstow was equally certain regarding the composure of Rashid.
"It's good to bat with Rash - he's the most chilled man in the world," Bairstow said. This series saw England and New Zealand become the first teams to break the 3,000 run aggregate mark in a five-match ODI campaign.
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