LONDON, (Reuters) – Stuart Broad took seven wickets to rip through the New Zealand batting order and bowl England to an emphatic 170-run victory on the fourth day of the first test at Lord’s today.
The touring side were skittled for 68 in just 22.3 overs, putting England 1-0 up in the two-match series and giving them the perfect start to a summer in which they also host Australia in five Ashes tests.
New Zealand, chasing 239 for victory after bowling England out for 213 in their second innings, collapsed to 29 for six at lunch and Broad and James Anderson finished them off 45 minutes into the afternoon session.
Broad removed Peter Fulton (1), Hamish Rutherford (9), Ross Taylor (0), Kane Williamson (6) and Brendon McCullum (8) in the space of 32 balls in the morning.
Fulton was caught by wicketkeeper Matt Prior in Broad’s first over and he sent Rutherford’s off-stump cart-wheeling with a fine swinging delivery.
Taylor edged his second ball low to England captain Alastair Cook at first slip and Williamson, who survived 24 balls for his six runs, inexplicably drove Broad straight to Steven Finn at extra cover.
Anderson, who took five wickets in the first innings, found the edge of Brownlie’s bat and Cook took another easy catch.
Broad trapped McCullum lbw, the New Zealand captain trudging dejectedly back to the pavilion after he failed to get the decision overturned on review.
Tim Southee was dropped by Anderson at second slip off Broad but he heaved the next ball into the leg side and Joe Root ran round from deep square leg to take a good catch just inside the boundary.
BJ Watling edged Anderson low to Jonathan Trott at third slip for 13 to leave New Zealand on 54 for eight.
MIDDLE STUMP
Neil Wagner pulled Broad over mid-wicket for the first six of the match but the tall fast bowler took out Bruce Martin’s middle stump to claim his seventh victim and test-best figures of seven for 44.
Anderson looked like claiming the last wicket when Wagner skied the ball towards long leg but, after the difficult catch was dropped, the batsmen got in a mix-up over the second run and Anderson ran out Wagner for 17.
The day started well for New Zealand when Southee removed Finn (6), Ian Bell (6) and Graeme Swann (1) in quick succession.
After England had resumed on 180 for six, Southee dismissed nightwatchman Finn in his first over of the day, the fast bowler tamely edging a catch to substitute fielder Martin Guptill at second slip.
Broad hit a few lusty blows to lift England past 200 but Bell, who spent most of Saturday in bed with the flu, became Southee’s fifth victim when he played a loose drive away from his body and Brownlie pouched a sharp catch at third slip.
Southee struck again to dismiss Swann who flashed wildly at a wide delivery and gave wicketkeeper McCullum, deputising for Watling, a simple catch.
Off-spinner Williamson took the last wicket, Anderson caught by Southee at cover after the ball cannoned up off short leg. Broad was left stranded on 26 not out.
“I thought the wicket just speeded up a little bit today,” Broad told Sky Sports television. “If you did a bit the ball obviously carried. I’m delighted we came out with good intensity in the field.”
Cook said Broad had all the attributes of a world class bowler.
“When he gets it totally right, he’s an absolute nightmare to face,” he said.
McCullum, who kept wicket because of an injury to Watling, said New Zealand’s collapse had been due to high class bowling and some timidity on the part of the batsmen.
“We know we have some areas to work on in the next few days to ensure we turn up and get a sizeable total,” he said. The second and final test between the two sides starts at Headingley in Leeds on Friday.
