daniel chigunwe
NEW ZEALAND beat England by 423 runs on Tuesday to send Tim Southee out a winner on his home ground in his final Test and claim a consolation victory as one-sided as their losses in the first two matches of the series.
The Black Caps had come into the series with confidence high after their remarkable 3-0 sweep in India only to be completely outplayed in more familiar conditions in Christchurch and Wellington.
At Hamilton’s Seddon Park, they rediscovered their mojo to claim their biggest ever win by runs and inflict the fourth-worst defeat by the same measure on the tourists inside four days.
Recalled spinner Mitchell Santner (4-85) was named Player of the Match after ripping through the England tail for a match tally of seven wickets to go with his 76 and 49 with the bat, but it was a proper team victory.
Kane Williamson could have claimed the honour for a second-innings 156 that took England’s victory target well into world record areas, or Will O’Rourke for a dizzying spell of bowling on day one.
“It’s obviously pleasing to finish in that fashion,” said New Zealand captain Tom Latham.
“We certainly knew we weren’t quite at our best those first couple of games, but I think the way we came in here and were able to adapt to the surface was very pleasing.”
England, so dominant in the first two tests, crumbled to 234 all out after lunch on day four in their improbable chase for 658 runs to sweep the series.
Captain Ben Stokes, who is being treated for a left hamstring injury sustained on Monday, did not bat in England’s second innings to further hasten the conclusion.
The end came swiftly with England, who looked determined to go down fighting before the break, losing their last three wickets in 12 deliveries for the addition of three runs.
Southee failed to add to his extraordinary tally of 98 test sixes on Monday but he did take two wickets in his final innings to finish his career with 391, the second highest for a New Zealander behind Richard Hadlee.
“We’re certainly leaving one of the greats behind, but I’m sure he’s got a bright future ahead of him, whatever that may be,” added Latham, who was front and centre as Southee was honoured by Hadlee after the match.
IMPRESSIVE BETHELL
Although the tourists were disappointed to finish with such a crushing defeat, even on Tuesday there were some positives to go along with becoming the first England team to win a series in New Zealand since 2008.
Jacob Bethell continued his impressive start to test cricket with a third half-century of the series before he holed out for 76 to become Southee’s final Test victim. — Reuters.
