Pace bowler James Franklin went from villain to hero as New Zealand kept their triangular series hopes alive with a 90-run win over England at the Adelaide Oval yesterday.
The Black Caps did not look to have enough on the board when dismissed for 210 after winning the toss and electing to bat, but bowled and fielded exceptionally well to restrict England to an embarrassing 120 in reply.
Importantly, the Kiwis claimed a bonus point for their first win of the series and moved ahead of England on the tri-series table.
PHOTO: AFP
New Zealand were inspired by an incisive opening spell by Franklin (3-17) and some typically clever bowling by cagey spinner Daniel Vettori (4-24) later in the England innings.
Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming was confident of defending the total, but conceded the bonus point was unexpected.
"It was totally unexpected really, it wasn't until about seven or eight down we realized we had a chance for that," he said.
"It was touch and go half way through, but we were always confident. It is nice to put something in the cupboard," he added.
England captain Andrew Flintoff was understandably disappointed with his side's batting.
"We bowled well and we didn't do ourselves justice in our innings," he said. "We are not quite firing with the bat. New Zealand bowled well, but we can play a hell of a lot better."
Franklin arguably cost his side an upset win over Australia on Sunday when he dropped a simple catch, but put his side on the path to victory with a three-wicket opening spell.
After Kiwi all-rounder Jacob Oram celebrated his return from a hamstring injury by making a bold 86 to enable his side to recover from 5-67 and make a competitive total, Franklin struck three key blows to remove England's top three.
With Shane Bond (2-32) bowling at high pace at the other end, the left-armer overcame the disappointment of having a caught behind appeal incorrectly turned down to remove openers Mal Loye (8) and Andrew Strauss (19), along with Ian Bell (2).
Vettori then turned the screws by claiming the vital wickets of Paul Collingwood (10) and Flintoff in quick succession with his cunning variation.
Flintoff had seen his side home in a tense run chase against the Black Caps a week earlier and had bowled superbly during the New Zealand innings with 4-21.
But he succumbed to a rush of blood, charging down the wicket at Vettori and getting a thin edge through to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, who claimed the catch at the second attempt.
England was 5-92 and, with Flintoff gone for nine, in deep trouble.
Oram capped a man-of-the-match performance by removing Paul Nixon cheaply, before Mark Gillespie leapt high to drag in an outstanding catch to remove Joyce (47) from the bowling of Vettori and seal England's fate as they were 7-107.
Pakistan celebrates
Former cricket greats yesterday hailed Pakistan's comeback win over South Africa, a victory described as the "best ever" by captain Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Led admirably by Inzamam, Pakistan achieved a comprehensive five-wicket win over the Graeme Smith-led Proteas on the fourth day of the second Test at Port Elizabeth on Monday to level the three-match series at 1-1.
Vice captain Younis Khan and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal hit contrasting unbeaten half-centuries to take Pakistan to the challenging 191-run target.
Pakistan lost the first Test at Centurion by seven wickets.
"A win is a win and to have achieved that on foreign soil adds to the achievement," former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad said.
"The difference between Australia and other teams is that they learn lessons from their wins and try to improve with every match. Pakistan must also analyze how the win was achieved," said Miandad, who has also coached Pakistan.
This becomes Pakistan's second only Test win in South Africa after they won in Durban in 1998.
Miandad said Pakistan would have to lift their game to clinch the third Test in Cape Town.
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