Hussain: Winning start 'huge' for Stokes' England

Nasser Hussain believes England's five-wicket win over New Zealand in the first LV= Insurance Test at Lord's is 'huge' and 'absolutely vital' for new captain and head coach combo, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

England successfully knocked off the 61 remaining runs required on the fourth morning without alarm, former captain Joe Root (115no) notching his 26th ton and 10,000 career runs in Tests in the process.

England's successful chase of 277 ensured a positive start to Stokes' tenure as captain with the team having won just one of their previous 17 games under Root amid a period of batting collapses, Covid-19 restrictions and rest and rotation.

"Huge," Hussain said when asked of the magnitude of England's victory. "A change in era for English cricket, and it was absolutely vital they started with the win.

"In the context of this series too, because you'd think New Zealand will only get better throughout.

"For that England dressing room, with a new captain and new coach, they will have been hanging on every word, but you want to see immediate results and they've gone and won a game.

"You can imagine it in there now, with everything going in the right direction, but you also have to be realistic.

"It's only a start - let's not get too giddy about it - but it is one England needed.

"Celebrate it, enjoy it, but this is about a long-term plan and England need to learn on the areas they need to improve on going ahead.

"It is the same people who have got England over the line here, [Stuart] Broad and [James] Anderson, Stokes and Root. The real tick has been young Matt Potts, who has come from left field."

Root's match-winning knock saw him join Sir Alastair Cook in an exclusive group of just two Englishman to pass 10,000