Cricket: There were no ifs, no buts, no maybes. Eighty-five minutes of play here yesterday saw the second Test done and dusted and with it the series. England, once they had their fingers round the throat of the opposition on Sunday, were not about to let go, and the end was clinical.
The winning margin of nine wickets was overwhelming, a measure of how far they pulled away after three days of even balance.
The New Zealanders, riven by injury and in the end outplayed totally, now have two days to regroup before the final Test at Trent Bridge on Thursday. This is a side that lost only to Pakistan, twice, in its previous 11 series, had beaten India and came within a whisker of doing the same to Australia and South Africa. But, for all their spirit, they are a ramshackle outfit at present. It is hard to not to see the Black Caps being whitewashed.
Slowly but with great assurance, the England side is growing into one of excellent pedigree. Not so long ago it would have been difficult to see beyond the retirements of Darren Gough, Alec Stewart, Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain and the injury which appears to have ended Andy Caddick's international career. Yet the doors that have been opened to newcomers, occasionally by default, have been marched through with the utmost confidence.
Andrew Strauss, given his chance by a freak accident in the nets, created such an impression with his remarkable Lord's debut that the former captain Hussain promptly retired. Geraint Jones, with his outstanding century, has justified the decision to elevate him ahead of Chris Read. Released from the cares of justifying his place with the bat, he produced an altogether more confident second-innings display behind the stumps.
The story of the development of Michael Vaughan's team can be told in the man of the match awards. Yesterday it went to Jones but could easily have been snaffled by Marcus Trescothick for his first-innings century and biff-bang unbeaten 30 yesterday that saw England home in double-quick time. All those awards for Steve Harmison in the winter and now one apiece for Strauss and Jones: the old lags are not having it all their own way.
Vaughan, of course, cannot believe his luck in being in charge of this explosion of success. England have lost only one of the six series played since they failed to regain the Ashes the winter before last. Of the past 12 Tests, since losing to South Africa at Headingley 10 months ago, eight have been won and three drawn, the only defeat coming in Sri Lanka during the winter. Quietly, England under Vaughan are putting together a portfolio of success.
If the hard work had been done first of all by the batsmen and then by the rampaging pace bowlers on Sunday evening, there still remained a threat for England, an outside chance that one scintillating Bothamesque cameo would give the visitors just sufficient time to bowl.
In the event, with Daniel Vettori unfit to bat, it took only 49 balls and 40 minutes to wrap up the remainder of the New Zealand innings - 102 for five overnight - for 161, leaving England requiring 45 to win. Trescothick was in no mood to hang around and, with Mark Butcher watching phlegmatically from the other end, he swivelled to pull the last ball of the eighth over for his fifth boundary to wrap things up.
Guardian Service
