England entered the series ranked second globally, while New Zealand was eighth. Although none of the three Tests had a definitive outcome, New Zealand dominated two of them.
“They dominated the first Test, we got the upper hand in the second, and they outperformed us here. But we never underestimated them,” Cook commented after the thrilling conclusion of the third Test.
The initial two Tests were rain-shortened, but with clear skies over the five days in Auckland, the decisive match went down to the wire.
In a tense final session, England’s last pair faced 19 balls, with Matt Prior scoring 110 and Monty Panesar securing the draw.
Panesar narrowly avoided a play-on with his first ball and nearly ran himself out, diving short on a quick single to switch strike.
England also had a stroke of luck when the ball hit Prior’s stumps but didn’t dislodge the bails.
What mattered for England was his survival.
“There’s immense relief,” Cook acknowledged as the match concluded.
“We battled hard over these five days. New Zealand outplayed us, but I’m proud of the team, especially Matty Prior and Ian Bell, who were outstanding.
“The never-give-up attitude and resilience needed in Test cricket were evident in this series.”
The fighting spirit was epitomized by Stuart Broad’s record effort as England batted to survive in their second innings.
He went 102 minutes without scoring, surpassing New Zealand’s Geoff Allott’s 14-year-old record against South Africa by one minute.
Cook noted that despite being outplayed, England proved they were tough to beat.
“Honestly, we didn’t play at our best, but that shouldn’t take away from New Zealand’s performance,” he said.
“They put us under immense pressure, but I’m proud to say we stood up to it and fought through.”
