Mitchell Santner has wrapped up the England tail as the Black Caps demolished the tourists by 423 runs to take the third and final Test of the series at Seddon Park this afternoon.
Santner, not required for the heavy losses in Christchurch and Wellington, was rarely out of the action in Hamilton after claiming 13 wickets in his last Test in Pune, India.
The left-arm spinner claimed the last three wickets of Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse to finish with 4-85, New Zealand’s most successful bowler in England’s second innings.
“It’s nice to bowl with a bit of a lead and the way they want to play – playing shots –means you’re always in the game,” Santner, named the official player of the match, said afterwards.
England skipper Ben Stokes, who strained his left hamstring when bowling yesterday, did not bat, meaning that at 234-9, the tourists had succumbed to a record defeat to New Zealand.
Southee has played his final Test match – a comprehensive win over England at Hamilton. (Source: TVNZ)
Stokes’s men claimed the series, however, due to their big wins at Hagley Oval and the Basin Reserve, and, after the success of opening batter Will Young, and Santner’s ability to score 76 runs in the first innings and 49 in the second, along with his seven wickets in the match, head coach Gary Stead may have been given some food for thought.
Young, the player of the series in India as New Zealand claimed an historic 3-0 sweep, was not required for the first two Tests against England either and was only selected due to the out-of-form Devon Conway’s paternity leave.
With former skipper Kane Williamson scoring 156 – his fifth consecutive century in five Tests in Hamilton – and more than England’s paltry 143 first innings total, the Black Caps have had it all their own way in the dead rubber. It was Williamson’s 33rd Test ton.
But perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the win was the development of fast bowler Will O’Rourke.
Bowling downwind today, the 1.97m O’Rourke hit speeds of more than 153km/h and was close to unplayable at times in taking one wicket as England went to lunch at 193-5.
He put the brakes on England’s second innings in terms of scoring, and caught Joe Root in an extremely tender area before dismissing the previously prolific Harry Brook for 1 off six balls.
O’Rourke had bowled Brook for a golden duck in the first innings and today had him caught by Daryl Mitchell at first slip.
Brook recorded 171 in the first innings in Christchurch and did not bat in the second innings at Hagley Oval.
He was also a big factor in England claiming the series at the Basin Reserve with scores of 123 and 55 but in the third and final Test he had no answer to a 23-year-old who made his Test debut on this ground in February this year and is developing into a truly intimidating fast bowler.
England had started the day at 18-2 and Root and Jacob Bethell looked relatively composed in setting about what will be a history-making run chase.
Root, who today became the highest scoring Test batsman against New Zealand, had a life when on 19 – he was dropped by Latham off Tim Southee at second slip.
Root, who was finally dismissed by Mitchell Santner for 54, put on 104 for the third wicket alongside Bethell.
He was dismissed LBW by their left-arm spinner, the appeal initially turned down before the decision was overturned by DRS.
Brook was the next to go 11 runs later before Southee claimed his second wicket of the innings when dismissing Bethell for 76, the left-hander chasing a wide one and succeeding only in finding Glenn Phillips at deep backward point.
It was Southee’s second wicket of the innings in his final Test.
Skipper Latham said of Southee: "One of the greats is leaving."
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