New Zealand tore through England’s batting Tuesday to crush the visitors by 423 runs in the third Test and send Tim Southee into retirement on a triumphant note.
It was New Zealand’s equal-highest victory by runs and a complete reversal from the first two Tests, which England won easily to clinch the three-match series.
The hosts sealed a dominant performance in Hamilton by claiming seven wickets in 41.2 overs on day four as England crumbled for 234.
Playing on his home ground at Seddon Park, seamer Southee finished with 2-34 in his 107th and final Test, ending the career of one of New Zealand’s finest players.
He finishes with 391 Test wickets, second only to Richard Hadlee among New Zealanders.
“I want to thank New Zealand Cricket for everything you have done. My family, who are there for the ride and see the ups and downs,” said the 36-year-old.
“And my team-mates — these guys have made the ride so much more enjoyable, I have loved every minute.
“And finally the fans. It is always great to turn out in front of numbers. This week has been pretty special to play at Seddon Park in front of a great crowd.”
New Zealand only needed to take nine second-innings wickets for an emphatic victory because England skipper Ben Stokes did not bat.
Stokes suffered a hamstring injury on Monday and limped off in distress, having torn the hamstring in the same left leg just a few months ago.
The scale of the latest injury has not been revealed but that, and the way England capitulated in Hamilton, ended their series on a sour note.
Stokes said England were “completely outplayed”.
“The first two games of the series, our skill completely outdid New Zealand’s skill. This game was basically a flip around of that,” said Stokes.
“It’s severely disappointing as a team because we obviously want to win every game we go out and play.
“We’re just disappointed that we were nowhere near our best.”
– England crumble –
After resuming at 18-2, England never threatened their enormous target of 658, their hopes dwindling further when losing Jacob Bethell for 76, Joe Root for 54 and Harry Brook for just one before lunch.
They looked comfortable for the first hour before Root departed, having put on 104 for the third wicket with Bethell.
England’s greatest run-scorer was trapped lbw attempting to sweep left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner.
Having been given not out, New Zealand successfully reviewed, with ball-tracking showing the ball would have hit the middle stump.
It left 33-year-old Root 28 runs short of becoming the fifth player to score 13,000 Test runs.
Brook, who scored match-winning centuries in each of the first two Tests, was out cheaply for the second time at Seddon Park, caught behind off a sharply rising Will O’Rourke delivery.
Left-hander Bethell batted fluently, striking 13 fours and a six, until he swung at a wide Southee delivery to be caught at deep point.
Ollie Pope (17) was bowled attempting to reverse scoop pace bowler Matt Henry before Gus Atkinson’s hard-hit 43 ended when caught in the deep off Santner.
Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse fell cheaply, also trying to hit Santner out of the ground.
All-rounder Santner justified his recall by taking 4-85 to finish with seven wickets in the match, alongside scores of 76 and 49 with the bat.
Having been beaten by eight wickets and then 323 runs in the first two Tests, the Black Caps belatedly gave the home fans something to cheer about.
They had come into the series buoyant, having sealed a historic 3-0 sweep in India.
Skipper Tom Latham heaped praise on lanky pacer O’Rourke, who also took three key wickets in England’s first innings with a scintillating spell of hostile bowling.
“He’s been fantastic,” Latham said of the 23-year-old.
“He’s a guy that hadn’t necessarily played a huge amount of first-class cricket before he made his Test debut (in February).
“Obviously he didn’t necessarily get the five wickets or the milestones, but I think the contribution that he made went a long way in that match.”
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