Bairstow century leads thrilling England fightback - reaction & highlights

The one piece of advice I would give is if they want to be a really, really good team and win everywhere around the world they will still have to play that smart card and don't allow the opposition an easy start.

Jack Anderson: I think Jonny Bairstow has worked out the cheat code for Test match cricket.

When you come to Headingley and it is Test match cricket. Special things happen.

What we saw there from Jonny Bairstow is not far off what Ben Stokes did against Australia in 2019.

Bairstow, speaking to Sky Sports, on what he and Stokes spoke about when he to the crease with England 21-4:

"'Fancy doing another Trent Bridge' was the first we said. That was it. OK, let's crack on.

"Sometimes it's a simple game we complicate. We're trying to strip back that complicated nature of it back. Allow people to go out and express themselves. Also as personalities. We talk about growing the game and you grow the game by showing people your personality."

England only trail by 65 runs which is, in so many ways, quite astonishing.

I thought for sure they'd be skittled.

I think England have to learn from today because they have been saved by two players who took their time and played themselves in.

The top three and Ben Stokes in particular were slightly reckless.

Alex Lees and Joe Root were the only batters you could perhaps forgive out of the top order.

England's Jonny Bairstow, who is unbeaten on 130 off 126 balls, speaking to Sky Sports: "It was good craic. It feels amazing. This place means to me. Being a Yorkshire lad scoring a Test 100 at home is pretty special. My family and my mates are here as well.

"Every time you score a Test hundred it's emotional. You know what am like, it means so much for me to play Test cricket for England. That's the kind of guy I am. I wear my heart on my sleeve. That's not always everyone's cup of tea.

"For Jamie (Overton) to play the way he did, on debut, under pressure, to have the confidence to play as he did against this New Zealand attack, that is exceptional."

I'm trying to think which Jonny Bairstow innings is better, Trent Bridge or this one, and I think this was.

England were gone when he came in and the ball was hooping all over the place. I don't think it was a flat pitch either, there was something there for the bowlers.

But he made batting look easy. He played shots all the way around the ground and it didn't look risky.

There's always a lot of chat about Jonny Bairstow and this idea that he is constantly having to fight for his place in the team.

He clearly thrives on it - there's seemingly nothing he loves more than proving people wrong - but I just don't think it's even a debate any more.

He is the heart of this new England approach.

SMS Message: Me and my Brother Oli are sat listening to TMS in a beach bar in Ibiza. The deficit draining faster than our bank balances. What enthralling entertainment. from Mark, London

Me and my Brother Oli are sat listening to TMS in a beach bar in Ibiza. The deficit draining faster than our bank balances. What enthralling entertainment.

New Zealand will be incredibly frustrated.

They made a fantastic start, Trent Boult in particular with the new ball, and England were 55-6. To let that slip will feel like a loss for them.

And as if to greet this fantastic effort from the batters the sun has come out, bathing this gorgeous ground it its golden sunlight as the crowd rises as one.

England were 55-6 and walked out for the evening session at 91-6.

They walk off a few hours later with 264-6 to their name.

It's just silly. It's a silly, silly game, cricket, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

The New Zealand players flock to Jonny Bairstow to congratulate him.

He walks off with a sumptuous, unbeaten 130 to his name, followed by Jamie Overton who has made a quite fantastic 89.

What an evening.

This was the magic of Test cricket coming out in all its glory.

What an absolutely blinding, ridiculous, silly, enjoyable, entertaining day of cricket.

Test cricket. There's nothing like it.

Bairstow leaves then flicks a Boult delivery away from his pads towards the fielder.

One more ball to go.

Dot, dot, dot...