Man-of-the-match Stuart Broad routed New Zealand on Sunday but insisted “attack leader” James Anderson was the man behind England’s thumping 170-run first Test win at Lord’s.
Fast-medium bowler Broad took a Test-best 7-44 as New Zealand were dismissed for just 68 in pursuit of a target of 239 to give the home side victory with more than a day to spare.
Anderson, set to be England’s key bowler when they bid for a third straight Ashes series win over Australia later this season, took five wickets in New Zealand’s first innings 207 – made in reply to the hosts’ modest 232.
In the course of that haul, Anderson became only the fourth England bowler to take 300 Test wickets after Fred Trueman, Bob Willis and Ian Botham.
Concerningly, in the midst of a resounding success, England only managed 213 in their second innings with Broad’s 26 not out on Sunday a reminder of his batting ability.
“It’s a pretty special day for us, we wanted to make more of a contribution with the bat but we knew the ball was moving around,” said Broad, who bettered his previous Test-best of 7-72 against the West Indies at Lord’s last year.
“I’ve come away with seven wickets but Jimmy Anderson was the leader of this attack, he got five wickets in the first innings and I think he should be coming up to get this man-of-the-match award.
“It’s a great way to start the summer, I love bowling here at Lord’s.”
For New Zealand this latest collapse, which saw them bowled out in under two hours on Sunday and followed their 45 all out against South Africa at Cape Town in January, was particularly hard to take as they’d been in the match right until the closing stages.
“It’s a tough one to explain, I thought we had parity or dominated for long periods but we took a step backwards today,” said New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum.
“The margin flatters England, but they bowled superbly in that hour before lunch which ripped the heart out of us.”
England themselves had wilted in the face of fine seam bowling by New Zealand’s Tim Southee, who took 6-50 in their second innings for a match haul of 10-108.
Broad then struck with his third ball to have Peter Fulton caught behind and then after knocking over Hamish Rutherford, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, Anderson got in on the act when Dean Brownlie was caught by Cook.
And Broad took his fifth wicket when, on the stroke of lunch, he had McCullum lbw for eight, a decision upheld despite the batsman’s desperate review.
South Africa-born duo BJ Watling (13) and Neil Wagner (17) were the only New Zealand batsmen in the innings to reach double figures.
The match ended in farcical fashion when Wagner was dropped at long leg, only to then be run out by Anderson.
New Zealand now travel north to Headingley, where the second and final Test of this series starts on Friday, with injury doubts over both wicketkeeper Watling (left knee) and spinner Bruce Martin (right calf).
