New Zealand completed the formalities on Day 4 in Edgbaston to clinch their first Test series win on English soil in over two decades. The last time the Kiwis secured a Test series victory away from home against England was back in 1999.
The Black Caps dismissed the three lions for their overnight second-innings total of 122 and went on to chase the extremely modest 38-run target inside 11 overs.
Veteran quick Trent Boult took only one ball to get the better of one of the last men standing, Olly Stone, to set up an easy chase for his team’s batsmen.
And though the visitors lost Devon Conway and Will Young along the way, they faced no more hiccups as stand-in skipper Tom Latham batted quite professionally to take his team home with Ross Taylor at the other end.
It was a great moment for New Zealand cricket, with their boys pulling off their country’s only third Test series win in England ever. The victory in Birmingham shows the talent and depth available in New Zealand right now, as they dominated England despite missing multiple first-choice picks, including regular captain and one of their batting greats, Kane Williamson.
Williamson and others rested for the second Test against England, will be delighted to walk back into a team on a high ahead of the World Test Championship final against India, starting Friday (June 18) in Southampton.
For England, the mood will be of complete contrast. While their bowling and catching couldn’t match the quality displayed by the Kiwis, it was on the batting front where the difference was most obvious. The series defeat was England’s first at home since 2014 and has left them much to rectify before taking on India in the second half of the summer.
Brief scores:
England 303 (Rory Burns 81, Dan Lawrence 81; Trent Boult 4/85) & 122 (Mark Wood 29; Neil Wagner 3/18, Matt Henry 3/36) lost to New Zealand 388 (Will Young 82, Devon Conway 80; Stuart Broad 4/48) & 41/2 (Tom Latham 23*; Olly Stone 1/5) by eight wickets.
