The highs and lows of Bazball

The Bazball era is officially over.

Captain Ben Stokes called time on his England career during their series defeat by New Zealand in early July, while head coach Brendon McCullum was sacked on Sunday after seven defeats in nine Tests.

England have both thrilled and infuriated under the pair with a playing style and approach to the game that has divided fans and pundits alike.

No matter what you made of it, it has certainly been memorable and we've picked out some of the standout moments - good and bad - from the McCullum years...

Bairstow blitz ignites Bazball, June 2022

Taking over a team that had won just one of its previous 17 Tests, McCullum and new captain Ben Stokes made the perfect start with victory over New Zealand at Lord's.

But it was the second Test of that series that first showed what this team was going to be about.

Set 299 to win in 72 overs on day five at Trent Bridge, England slipped to 93-4, before Jonny Bairstow and Stokes took them to 139-4 at tea and a draw appeared the best they could hope for.

Instead, the evening session saw Bairstow produce an astonishing display of hitting, smashing 14 fours and seven sixes as he brought up a 77-ball hundred.

That was just one ball slower than Gilbert Jessop's England Test record.

Bairstow, who made 136 from 92 balls, fell just before the end but Stokes remained and thumped the winning boundary to take the home side to victory with 22 overs to spare.

Record chase stuns India, July 2022

Less than a month on and England, having wrapped up a 3-0 win over New Zealand, were at it again.

Despite a James Anderson five-for and Bairstow's first-innings hundred, the hosts needed 378 to beat India in the rearranged fifth Test of the series started the previous summer.

England had never chased such a total before in Tests but started well with a century stand between Zak Crawley and Alex Lees.

However, two Jasprit Bumrah wickets and a run out saw 107-0 become 109-3 and that record target looked a long way off.

Step forward two of Yorkshire's finest. A magnificent unbroken stand of 269 between Joe Root and Bairstow got England over the line at a canter.

Root played a masterful knock to finish 142 not out, while Bairstow ended unbeaten on 114, his second ton of the match, as the pair scored at more than five-an-over to leave Bumrah and co in a daze.

A staggering victory that denied India a first Test series win in England since 2007 and showed just what Bazball could achieve at its best.

Raid of Rawalpindi, December 2022

The first overseas challenge of the McCullum era and perhaps the most memorable.

Playing their first Test in Pakistan for 17 years, England claimed the most dramatic of victories late on day five in the fading light of Rawalpindi.

Their adventurous batting set it up as they powered a Test record 506-4 on day one, scoring a total of 921 runs in 136.5 overs at a rate of 6.73 across their two innings.

But it was the bowlers who put in the hard yards on the final day.

Pakistan were still in with a chance of chasing the 343 they needed to win at various points before the brilliance of Anderson and Ollie Robinson, who took four wickets apiece with the ball reverse-swinging, left them clinging on for a draw.

A stubborn last-wicket stand looked set to deny Stokes' men until Jack Leach got one to slide on and trap Naseem Shah lbw, sparking joyous scenes.

England would go on to sweep the series 3-0.

One-run loss in Wellington, February 2023

With 10 wins in 11 Tests, it seemed Bazball was unstoppable and after a crushing victory over New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, England were well on course to make it 11 from 12 in Wellington.

Root and Harry Brook made big hundreds as the tourists racked up 435-8 declared before rolling the Blacks Caps for 209 and enforcing the follow-on.

Kane Williamson's ton got New Zealand back into the game, though, and England were left needing 258 to win the series.

When Brook was run out without facing a ball, England were reeling at 80-5 but Root and Stokes calmly got them back on track.

Even when both fell in quick succession, Root five short of twin tons, Ben Foakes looked set to get them over the line.

However, he holed out with just seven needed to leave numbers 10 and 11, Leach and Anderson, to try and do the rest.

Anderson flayed a boundary to make it two to win but then gloved a Neil Wagner short ball down leg.

As the Kiwis claimed a stunning win, England were left to rue the nature of a number of dismissals in the chase - a theme that would become rather familiar.