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England crush Kiwis to take series
England skittled New Zealand for 161 runs in their second innings before completing a nine-wicket triumph in the second Test on Monday.
England's pace attack skittled New Zealand for 161 runs before cruising to a nine-wicket triumph in the second Test on Monday to seal the series.
Matthew Hoggard, with four wickets, and Steve Harmison, with three, ended the tourists' resistance after an entertaining opening to the final day before England knocked off their target of 45 on an increasingly erratic Headingley pitch.
Marcus Trescothick (30 not out) pulled the winning boundary as England won in the run-up to lunch, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
"We have got to go back to the drawing board. The series has gone. We have been well and truly outplayed," said New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.
The series win was sweet revenge for 1999, when the New Zealanders beat England 2-1 on home soil. England, however, have since climbed from bottom of the world rankings to third.
English wicketkeeper Geraint Jones was named man of the match for his maiden Test century in the first innings followed by an impressive display behind the stumps.
The tourists, hampered by a string of injuries before and during the match, had resumed on 102 for five, still 15 behind, and, with the pitch misbehaving, opted for all-out attack as their only chance of defence.
Within 45 minutes, however, the innings was over.
Jacob Oram (36 not out off 32 balls) did his best to set a target with some explosive hitting, including two slogged sixes, as the runs flowed.
But the wickets kept tumbling as well. Hoggard made the early breakthrough when Scott Styris edged behind, Jones taking a spectacular one-handed catch diving across first slip.
The Yorkshire swing bowler then trapped danger man Chris Cairns lbw for 10.
Harmison joined in after a poor opening spell when Michael Papps, coming in at nine because of a broken finger, played a rising delivery into the hands of captain Michael Vaughan at silly mid-off.
Spinner Daniel Vettori was unable to bat after tearing his hamstring on Sunday.
Chris Martin was the last man out, run out by Jones after Oram tried to steal a bye to keep the strike.
Hoggard took four for 75 with Harmison, who took seven wickets in the match, backing him up with three for 57.
England have now won five of their last six Tests.
England head for Trent Bridge next week with a chance of completing the first whitewash between the sides since England's 3-0 home success in 1978 under Michael Brearley.
