Pakistan, June 22 -- New Zealand had to beat England at The Oval. Not just to square their series, but because England made itself an easier picking.

To the team that won at Lord's, England made an off-the-wall five changes, four of them enforced by nightclub antics, injury and paternity. Three players debuted, two others had one cap each, and Joe Root stepped up as the stopgap captain. Root had more than half the team's caps and was suddenly the leading active wicket-taker.

England did everything but gift a rare seventh win to New Zealand in 95 years on home turf and the Black Caps went and grabbed it in style. It came to fruition on Sunday in the first 48 minutes of the fifth and final day when fast bowler Matt Henry cleaned up the la...