LONDON, 8 June 2004 — England clinched the series with an emphatic nine-wicket triumph over a depleted New Zealand in the second Test after their pace attack skittled the tourists for 161 runs on a difficult Headingley surface.
Matthew Hoggard, with four wickets, and Steve Harmison, with three, ended the tourists’ resistance after an entertaining opening to yesterday’s final day before England knocked off their target of 45 on an increasingly erratic 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.
The series win was sweet revenge for 1999, when the New Zealanders beat England 2-1 on home soil. England have since climbed from bottom of the world rankings to third.
England captain Michael Vaughan, who became a father for the first time during the match, said: “It can’t come better than this.
English wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, playing in only his third Test, 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 opted for all-out attack as their only chance of defense on an unpredictable pitch. 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.
However, the wickets kept tumbling as well with Hoggard and Harmison highlighting the difference in class between the two pace attacks. 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 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.
