England wrap up series with ease

Cricket : Ryan Sidebottom took six for 67 to help lead England to an innings and nine run win over New Zealand in the third …

Cricket: Ryan Sidebottom took six for 67 to help lead England to an innings and nine run win over New Zealand in the third and final test at Trent Bridge on Sunday to secure a 2-0 series victory.

Sidebottom claimed four of the five wickets to fall on the fourth morning as England won with almost two days to spare. Jacob Oram finished 50 not out from just 39 balls but his effort was ultimately in vain as New Zealand were bowled out for 232.

New Zealand, resuming the day on 177 for five and still 64 runs behind England's first innings total of 364, lost their last five wickets for 35 runs in the space of 40 balls. The teams drew the first test at Lord's with England winning at Old Trafford.

The match and the series was clinched when James Anderson had Chris Martin caught at second slip by Paul Collingwood. It was a fitting climax for Anderson after his test best seven for 43 in the first innings. He finished with match figures of nine for 98.

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Sidebottom claimed the first wicket of the morning when he gleaned an edge to the wicketkeeper from Gareth Hopkins, who went for 12.

Oram then pulled Broad for a six over midwicket, the first six of the match, as the bowler made the mistake of bowling short on a slow wicket in conditions that encourage swing from balls pitched up.

Sidebottom had New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori caught in the gully by Kevin Pietersen for one after a lethargic stroke. The long-haired left-arm swing bowler then had Kyle Mills caught at first slip by Andrew Strauss. A slip catch by Collingwood also accounted for Iain O'Brien.

The teams play a five-match one-day series from June 15, to be preceded by a Twenty20 International at Old Trafford on Friday.