England vs New Zealand LIVE: Cricket result from third Test as Bairstow and Root fire England to victory

Sam Billings has spent just one day in the England Test squad under new coach Brendon McCullum but he played for the New Zealander at Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

He’s been chatting to Sky Sports about what McCullum brings to the party.

“He’s got this amazing quality to be able to say something with emotion, but being emotionless, if that makes sense,” Billings explained.

“So the lasting effect it has on the group isn’t like it’s talked about for days afterwards. It’s to the point, it’s clear, it’s clarity, and it’s about making you feel ten feet tall. I know that’s been said a lot, but that’s probably his best quality. He absolutely puts confidence into you and together with Stokes they encapsulate exactly what this team wants to be.

“The most important thing is he’s a quality human being. Everyone knows that, whoever has played against him or the Kiwi lads as well. He’s a quality human being and everything he does is with incredible integrity and honesty.

“And that’s all you want as players. You want that clarity and honesty, combined with someone who’s got the best in mind for you. Yeah, it’s a really good combination.”

Big news from the wider cricket world

Members of BBC staff have written a letter condemning the broadcaster’s decision to stand by Michael Vaughan in the wake of the Yorkshire racism scandal.

The letter, written by the BBC Sport BAME Advisory Group and 5 Live Diversity Group, strongly criticises the BBC’s handling of Vaughan and brands the move to recall the former England cricket captain for coverage of the current series with New Zealand as “totally inexcusable” and a “shocking miscalculation”.

Earlier this month the England and Wales Cricket Board announced that Yorkshire and “a number of individuals” had been charged over an investigation into allegations of racism at the county, and how the club had handled those allegations. As detailed in the BBC staff letter and widely reported at the time, Vaughan is thought to be among those charged by the ECB.

Former Yorkshire bowler Azeem Rafiq has previously alleged that Vaughan said to a group of players of Asian ethnicity in 2009 that there were “too many of your lot” at the county and that “we need to do something about it”.

Vaughan has categorically denied making such a comment. He was dropped by the BBC in November but returned to its TMS team following the Ashes series.

Some good news from Headingley. The covers are coming off.

The groundstaff are out with the Super Soppers trying to remove as much moisture from the surface as possible. If there is no further rain we are on for a 12pm start.

The sun is starting to poke its head out, supporters are starting to filter into their seats so fingers crossed the rain stays away and we can get that 12pm start.

As the images show, it’s not looking great in Leeds. It’s a bit brighter than earlier and the heavy rain has subsided but the forecast suggests that it will probably be early afternoon before we get any play.

Some bad news from Headingley, the rain is coming down in Leeds and the scheudled 11am start will be delayed. The forecast isn’t great and we may even struggle to get any play in before lunch...

Jack Leach is just one of the players who has had a new lease of life under Brendon McCullum’s ‘Baz Ball’ and after taking his first-ever match 10-fer in Test cricket, the spinner discussed what it’s like working under the New Zealander.

Headingley isn’t the only ground where England are playing Test cricket today. While the men’s team go for victory against New Zealand, the women’s side are starting their Test match against South Africa.

Rich Edwards has caught up with left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone to get her thoughts after a rollercoaster winter as she prepares for an opportunity to play Test cricket.

Read the full story below:

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has tested positive for Covid-19, with Kent’s Sam Billings taking his place for the remainder of the Headingley Test.

Foakes did not take the field on the third afternoon against New Zealand after complaining of back pain, but later returned a positive test after a check up at the team hotel in Leeds.

Jonny Bairstow deputised with the gloves during the tourists’ second innings but Billings, who made his Test debut in the final match of the Ashes, has been drafted to take over for the rest of the match.

A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board read: “Ben Foakes was unable to keep wicket on day three of the Third LV= Insurance Test at Headingley suffering from back stiffness. On a further medical assessment yesterday evening, he subsequently tested positive after administering an LFT Covid-19 test.

“Details of his return to the England set-up will be announced in due course. However, it is hoped he will be fit for the LV= Insurance Test against India starting next Friday at Edgbaston.”

Jack Leach praised captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum for giving the confidence boost he needed to drive England’s victory push on another heady day at Headingley.

The Somerset spinner had not played a Test match on home soil since the summer of 2019 until England’s new leadership team put their faith in him at the start of the New Zealand series.

He then suffered a concussion while fielding on the very first morning at Lord’s, a misfortune that could have cost him his place after Matt Parkinson was drafted in as an emergency replacement for that match.

But Stokes and McCullum have held the line, picking him at Trent Bridge and again at Leeds, trusting him at key moments of the game and insisting on the kind of attacking fields that maximise his wicket-taking potential rather than minimise risk.

The rewards have come rolling in over the past four days, with Leach taking the first 10-wicket match of his Test career with five in each innings.

Jack Leach completed a career-best 10-wicket match at Headingley to set England on course for another fearless run chase and a series whitewash over New Zealand.

The left-arm spinner followed up his first-innings haul of 5-100 with even better figures of 5-66 as New Zealand set their hosts a target of 296 on day four of the third and final Test.

Ordinarily that would look like a huge ask but, having chased down 277 at Lord’s and 299 at Trent Bridge, England went about their business with a flourish to reach 183-2 at stumps.

Ollie Pope stroked a fluent 81 not out as he continued to grow into his new role at No 3 and Joe Root was at his unflappable best with an unbeaten 55. A sense of inevitability settled over proceedings as they piled on 132 together, leaving an apparent victory lap on day five.

Yorkshire have thrown their doors open to spectators for free, replicating Nottinghamshire’s successful initiative last week, and will hope to fill the stands for a triumphant conclusion to a gripping month-long contest.