England overcomes Zimbabwe by 69 runs in second test

England trounced Zimbabwe by an innings and 69 runs in the second cricket test at Riverside on Saturday to win the series 2-0.

England scored 416 and then, inspired by a dream spell of swing bowling by debutant Richard Johnson, James Anderson and local hero Steve Harmison bowled Zimbabwe out for 94 and 253 inside three days.

After man-of-the-match Johnson had taken six for 33 in his first test performance in the first innings, Anderson and Harmison produced sustained spells of seam and swing bowling to take 4-55 apiece and undermine Zimbabwe's determined second innings batting.

Johnson, who went wicketless in his 22 overs in the second innings, and Anderson and Harmison, finished with six wickets each in the match.

It was England's first back-to-back innings victories in 18 years since David Gower's team beat Allan Border's Australia in the fifth and sixth tests at Edgbaston and The Oval in the last Ashes win in 1985.

England started the seven-test summer with an innings and 92 runs win in the rain-hit first test at Lord's inside three days.

Although being not fully stretched by retirement-weakened Zimbabwe in six days of test cricket, it was a morale-boosting success for Nasser Hussain's side before the five-match series against South Africa in July.

The wins also a hailed a new era for young England new ball attack -- Anderson, Johnson and Harmison -- in the absence of the experienced and the injured Darren Gough, Andy Caddick and Matthew Hoggard.

While Anderson has continued to impress since taking 5-73 at Lord's, Johnson, a late starter at 28, provided invaluable experience to the weakened attack here.

"It is going to be a tough series," Hussain said looking ahead. "They [South Africa] are nearly as good as Australia.

"We have got a lot of hard work to do. It will be harder to take 20 wickets against South Africa and we have got to try to play better all the time and improve.''

Hussain said the performance of the young bowlers and the impending return of the senior bowlers in time for the test series would make selection very difficult.