Stuart Broad hailed the mentality new Test coach Brendon McCullum has instilled in England, with the New Zealand great encouraging his side to play with freedom.
England completed a fourth-innings chase of 279 in the opening Test against the Black Caps at Lord's, with Joe Root posting a majestic unbeaten 115 to guide his team to victory.
But more fireworks were to follow at Trent Bridge when England chased down 299 in just 50 overs on the final day as the McCullum era got off to a magnificent start.
Jonny Bairstow bludgeoned the second-fastest Test century for England on Tuesday, with new captain Ben Stokes providing more than capable support to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead over New Zealand in the three-match series.
Much has been made of McCullum's coaching methods, which are said to focus on mentality as opposed to technique during the match, and Broad was quick to credit his coach.
"There's no doubt that Baz has had an impact already," said Broad.
"It does feel really fresh and exciting in the changing room. It's a very positive language. It's very forward-thinking, all about how to move this game forward.
"This is no dig but at tea, when we were four down with the game in the balance slightly, I've certainly been in changing rooms in the past where that would be shut up shop time.
"Baz's team talk was very much 'let's attack the danger; let's run towards the danger' so every part of your mind is about going for this win.
"It was never really a case of 'if we lose one we might shut up shop'. It was always 'we're going to win' and if it doesn't work, don't worry about it."
Root has continued his batting form in impressive fashion after stepping down as England Test captain in April, with Stokes taking the role.
Chris Silverwood was also dismissed as coach and Broad says McCullum has brought the focus back to the excitement of cricket, with players enjoying the challenge and the occasion.
"I don't think he's spoken particularly deeply, his whole mantra is about enjoyment and fun," he added. "The energy is: how good's Test cricket? How good's this ground? What can we get out of today?
"He looks like a guy who has a cricket brain that is working all the time, he's thinking how we can change the game.
"It's not just praising guys who get a hundred, it's tiny little things, bits of fielding, momentum changes in the game. He will bring attention to that."
While McCullum has enjoyed a great beginning to his role, downing the world Test champions in both matches, even the New Zealand legend may have not expected the heroics of Bairstow.
The Yorkshire star smashed a 77-ball century in a game-changing 179-run partnership with Stokes as England chased the remaining 160 runs in the final session with ease.
"I didn't quite expect to see what I saw from Jonny. It was the most outrageous hour I've seen in Test cricket from a partnership. It was just exhilarating, astonishing," Broad continued.
"That striking...only a handful of players in the world can do that. Jonny is obviously in that group."
IPL: Jaiswal helps Royals past RCB to setup Sunrisers eliminator
Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal set the tone before Rovman Powell sent Royal Challengers Bengaluru crashing out of the Indian Premier League playoffs on Wednesday.
The Royals will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second qualifier on Friday, aiming for a place in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders, after their four-wicket victory in Ahmedabad.
Virat Kohli made 33 to go with Rajat Patidar's 34 and a 17-ball 32 from Mahipal Lomror as RCB's batters failed to capitalise on their strong starts, finishing on 172-8.
Avesh Khan led the impressive Royals bowling line-up with 3-44, as well as an economical 2-19 from Ravichandran Ashwin, teeing up a routine chase for Rajasthan with an over to spare.
Jaiswal crafted a fine 45 – including eight boundaries – to ease any nerves, while middle-order hitters Riyan Parag and impact sub Shimron Hetmyer chipped in with 36 and 26 respectively.
Mohammed Siraj dismissed both Paraj and Hetmyer for his 2-33 but Rajasthan were already in full control, even after slipping to 160-6 with two overs remaining.
That platform allowed Powell to come in and blast 16 off just eight balls, slamming Lockie Ferguson (1-37) for two fours and a maximum – ending in-form RCB's playoff hopes at the first post-season hurdle.
Rajasthan had lost four matches consecutively before this meeting against RCB, who had won six straight, but now only Pat Cummins' Sunrisers stand in the way of Rajasthan and the IPL final.
Data Debrief: Chahal makes RR history
Yuzvendra Chahal bowled an expensive four overs, conceding 43 runs in the first innings, though it was his one wicket of Kohli that will live long in the memory.
The Royals leg-spinner moved onto 66 IPL dismissals with the wicket of the Indian great, the most in Rajasthan history after surpassing Siddharth Trivedi's 65.
Headingley washout stops England and Pakistan's T20 World Cup preparation
England and Pakistan were denied valuable T20 World Cup preparation after the first game of their limited-overs series was abandoned due to rain at Headingley on Wednesday.
The umpires took little time to call off the first of a four-match T20I series as the decision was made without a ball being bowled at the ground in Leeds.
England will have to wait to assess the fitness of the returning Jofra Archer, with Pakistan also having no chance to evaluate their players as the only side to still not announce their World Cup squad yet.
Edgbaston will play host to the next meeting on Saturday, with clashes at Cardiff and The Oval to follow before the pair head off to the United States for the T20I tournament in June.
IPL: Mumbai Indians condemned to last-place finish after 18-run defeat to Super Giants
Rohit Sharma's half-century was not enough for Mumbai Indians as they slipped to an 18-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants at Wankhede Stadium.
The defeat consigned Mumbai to bottom place in the Indian Premier League for the second time in the space of three seasons, after losing 10 matches this year.
LSG were also left to lament their misfortune, as despite reaching 14 points, they did not qualify for the play-offs.
KL Rahul's 55 got the ball rolling for Lucknow, but their innings was ebbing out until Nicholas Pooran's dazzling 29-ball 75 took them to 214-6, despite the efforts of Nuwan Thushara (3-28) and Piyush Chawla (3-29), who stepped up in Jasprit Bumrah's absence.
Rohit's 38-ball 68 set the tone for what looked set to be a promising Mumbai chase, as he struck 13 boundaries around a short rain delay.
However, Mumbai went from 88 without loss to 120-5 in the space of six overs, leaving the tail with too much of a mountain to climb.
Data Debrief: Lucknow miss out
While Mumbai sit bottom of the pile yet again, it is a case of what might have been for LSG, who for the first time in their three-season history, failed to make the top four.
Fourteen points is often enough to get over the line and into the play-offs, but their poor net run rate of -0.667 means they miss out.
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