'Incredible England turnaround shows value of leadership'

After Jonny Bairstow's stunning century took England to a series-clinching victory over New Zealand in the second Test, Michael Atherton says the turnaround is a 'lesson in the value of leadership'...

What a difference a year makes, ey? Cast your mind back 12 months to a timid, cautious England team not going for a run-chase that was a little over three-an-over.

Then here, that statement of intent from the off - 'we are going to go for this win!' It is just the difference between looking at glass half full or glass half empty.

I take my hat off to the new management and this England team for having a go and getting there so easily in the end, it was a cakewalk!

Jonny Bairstow playing the innings of his life - 136 from 92 - and then Ben Stokes playing second fiddle for a while. Then once Bairstow got out, had his captain's hat on - 'I'm going to see this home'.'

There was a slight echo of the 2005 Ashes game at The Oval when Brett Lee went at Kevin Pietersen with The Ashes on the line. KP was going, 'do I stick, or do I twist? I'm going to go for it.' Bairstow was exactly the same.

The slight difference here was that the boundary was so short that when Matt Henry went for that short-pitched ploy, he's not got much protection on the legside.

I think England took 13 from the first over after tea, 13 from the second over - I think it was 49 from the first four overs and suddenly the game was transformed. Bairstow was up and away, and threatening Gilbert Jessop's 120-year record (for England fastest Test hundred).

This is an incredible result. New Zealand made 553 - this is the sixth-highest first-innings total in a Test match that has ended in defeat. Not even a close defeat in the end, England have won by five wickets with