England crush New Zealand by 267 runs in First Test as Jimmy Anderson takes the final four wickets
JIMMY ANDERSON grabbed his share of the glory as England continued their incredible winning ways with victory in the First Test in New Zealand.
Anderson took the final four wickets as England extended their sequence to ten triumphs in 11 Tests since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took charge of the team last year.
It was Anderson’s mate Stuart Broad who made the initial inroads into the Kiwis’ second innings under lights on day three – and the 40-year-old Lancashire swing king finished the job.
Anderson’s figures were 4-18 – and 7-54 in the match – and he and Broad now have 1,009 wickets between them in Tests they have played together.
That’s eight clear of the previous record held by Aussie legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
England’s margin of victory at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui was a crushing 267 runs and it was their first Test win in New Zealand for 15 years.
Daryl Mitchell scored 57 not out but the rest of the Blackcaps’ batting crumbled and they were routed for just 126 all out.
England needed just 100 minutes to complete their sixth Test win on the trot on day four. England take a 1-0 lead into the Second Tests in Wellington, which begins on Thursday.
Spinner Jack Leach took the first wicket on the fourth day when left-hander Michael Bracewell flicked a catch straight to short mid-wicket.
Anderson quickly helped himself to a couple of wickets in successive balls when Scott Kuggeleijn was nailed lbw and Kiwi captain Tim Southee edged to slip.
Anderson was on a hat-trick but Mitchell defended his next ball, which was at the start of his following over. It was not long, however, before Neil Wagner nicked a catch to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.
Mitchell and No.11 Blair Tickner did manage to hold on for 50 minutes before Anderson, returning for another spell, bowled Tickner.
It was England’s first win in an overseas pink ball Test at the fifth attempt and their sixth Test victory on the trot – the first time they have achieved that since 2010.
Stokes said: “This was another great performance. We were very clinical with the bat and ball. We executed everything we wanted with the ball and Jimmy and Broady continue to be inspirational.
“One of the tactical things around these day/night games is taking advantage of bowling under lights. We were able to inflict some hard damage with the new ball on day one and the same again on day three.
“It’s tough for anyone when Jimmy and Broady get that ball talking.
“It’s not only my captaincy and ideas that are allowing us to play this way – you also need the players fully behind you. I’ve had a good start to my captaincy but most of that is down to the players. I feel blessed to captain this team.
“I don’t like to look too far ahead, but we’ll have a good crop of world-class players to choose from in the Ashes this summer.”