Broad scalps seven as England win by 170 runs

Reuters/London

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 yesterday.

The touring side was skittled out 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 then 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.

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 in the same over to claim his seventh victim and Test-best figures of seven for 44.