England thrash New Zealand by 267 runs in first test

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, AFP: England completed a resounding 267-run win over the Black Caps in the first test at Mount Maunganui on Sunday, powering to their first win in New Zealand for 15 years.

The tourists snared the required five wickets in the opening session of day four, dismissing the Black Caps for 126 after they had resumed at 63-5.

Pace bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson both finished with four second innings wickets as England took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Broad (4-49) laid the groundwork on Saturday night under lights when he tore through New Zealand’s top order, with all four wickets clean bowled to reduce them to 28-5 in pursuit of 394 for victory.

Long-time new ball partner James Anderson (4-18) took over as chief tormentor on Sunday, knocking over four tailenders as New Zealand added 63 more runs in 22.3 overs. Only Daryl Mitchell, unbeaten on 57, put up any resistance after resuming his innings on 13, striking two sixes on his way to a sixth test half-century.

It continued Mitchell’s record of rear-guard innings against the English, having scored 538 at an average of 108 runs during last June’s 3-0 series defeat in England.

Southee faces a challenge to lift his team, who are winless from their last eight tests. By contrast, England are on a high after tasting their first test win on New Zealand soil since 2008, having drawn five and lost two matches since.

They have won 10 off their last 11 tests playing an adventurous brand of attacking cricket, dubbed “Bazball”, under Coach Brendon McCullum and Captain Ben Stokes.

It was just the second time in 21 day-night tests that the visiting team has won and ended a streak of five successive losses in the pink ball format for England.

The second test starting in Wellington on Friday, will be played under traditional hours.