England win in 3 days again

England duly wrapped up the second nPower test match against Zimbabwe today to register a comprehensive, if not exactly unexpected 2-0 series victory at Chester-le-Street.

In a game which bore an uncanny resemblance to the one at Lords a fortnight earlier, England once more had to flex their muscles to dismiss the Zimbabwean batsmen in the second innings.

Resuming on 41-1 and still requiring an additional 281 runs to avoid the ignominy of a second successive innings defeat, Zimbabwe made a far better fist of things second time around, but eventually it was still a case of 'too little, too late'.

Stuart Carlisle and the impressive Dion Ebrahim duly completed their half-century partnership, but they were separated with the total on 65 when Carlisle was brilliantly caught for 28 by Robert Key at short midwicket off the bowling of the irrepressible James Anderson.

Zimbabwe comfortably passed the total registered in the first innings debacle and with Ebrahim and the gritty Grant Flower defending stoutly, the visitors passed 100 and seemed to be making it through it to lunch with no further alarms.

Alas, this was not to be the case as Steve Harmison trapped Ebrahim leg before wicket for a fine 55 with a ball which seemed to be heading for leg stump or beyond. Wicket keeper Tatenda Taibu joined Flower at the wicket and the pair kept the England seamers at bay until lunch.

The break for the luncheon interval over, it seemed that Grant Flower had left his concentration in the pavilion as in the first over following the resumption, he tried to cut an Anderson delivery from too close to the off stump. The inevitable inside edge was followed by the clatter of ball on wicket and he duly departed for just 16 to leave Zimbabwe on 113-4.

Ashley Giles finally managed to break the seam monopoly with the ball for England in this game when he had Taibu smartly picked up by Mark Butcher, and with the total on 131-5, one could be forgiven for thinking that Zimbabwe would not make it through to tea. The fact that they did - and beyond - was largely due to Travis Friend.

Ervine and Friend added 54 for the sixth wicket in a rare exhibition of quality strokeplay - especially one huge six by Ervine off the bowling of Giles. Both players were particularly severe on Richard Johnson as the Somerset seamer found out that life as a test bowler doesn't always include bags of wickets.

Nasser Hussain turned once more to the pace of Steve Harmison, and the Durham quick did not disappoint. Ervine (34) was simply blasted out, trying in vain and too late to pull out of the way as the ball caromed off his bat and on to the wicket.

Harmison should have picked up his second wicket of the spell and his third off the innings when Travis Friend smacked the ball back to the bowler. The ball ricochetted off Harmison's hand, only to rattle into the wicket with the desperately unlucky non-striker Heath Streak (4) well out of his ground.

As Hussain continued to set fields which could be construed as either interesting, innovative or bizarre depending upon your viewpoint, James Anderson stepped back into the limelight. Andy Blignaut (12) lifted him back over the bowler's head, only for the England captain to make yards before diving and holding the ball inches off the ground.

Anderson strived manfully in an attempt to pick up his fifth wicket, but by now he was beginning to look weary. Once more, Harmison showed just what a potent weapon pace can be when it is matched in equal doses with accuracy, something which for so long he lacked in abundance.

The two balls which eventually ended the Zimbabwean resistance were a speed-merchant's delight. First of all, a wicked bouncer gave Price nowhere to go. The unfortunate batsman could only glove the 'throat ball' through to Alec Stewart who took a straightforward catch.

A brief break to allow Anderson one final chance to bag his fifth victim of the innings allowed Harmison to change ends, and he duly wrapped up the innings by bowling Hondo with the classic yorker leaving Friend undefeated on 65.

England had won by an innings and 69 runs, the first time in almost 20 years that they had won two successive games by an innings. Putting this performance into perspective regarding the standard of opposition, the words 'clinical' and 'efficient' spring to mind.

England have unearthed some real talent in this series. Anthony McGrath and Richard Johnson are a pair of unexpected bonuses, brought to light only by the severe injury crisis which seems to be a permanent fixture at present. Steve Harmison appears to have found his radar to great effect and if he continues this level of improvement over the remainder of the season, South Africa might cast their mind back to a certain Devon Malcolm who once famously said, in 1994, "You guys are history" and backed it up.

It is James Anderson, though, who continues to impress. Already in double figures regarding test victims in just two games, it is easy to forget that he is still two months short of his 21st birthday and is still learning his trade. There are sure to be some bad days ahead of him, but equally there could be some fabulous ones. The England bowling attack does not look as threadbare as it once did.

Zimbabwe can take heart from a much-improved second innings performance. The side is not entirely bereft of talent. Streak is class, we know that. In Tatenda Taibu, they have a gritty performer who could well develop into a great keeper and Douglas Hondo is a useful bowler who can move the ball in both directions. Wherever you look, there are competent players who can improve, but they are a young side with an awful lot to learn - and learn they must.


England 416 (McGrath 81, Stewart 68, Giles 50, Streak 4-64, Hondo 3-98)
beat
Zimbabwe 94 (Taibu 31, Johnson 6-33) and 253 (Friend 65, Ebrahim 55, Anderson 4-55, Harmison 4-55)
by an innings and 69 runs

Posted by Eddie