Panesar puts Kiwis in a spin

Southee provides late fireworks before Sidebottom has last word

By Rob Lancaster   Last updated: 26th March 2008

England team v New Zealand Napier

England celebrate their series win over the Kiwis

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Monty Panesar bowled England to a series victory over New Zealand as they won the third Test by 121 runs on the fifth afternoon in Napier.

After being a bit-part player for much of the tour the spinner came to the party in the final innings, picking up career best figures of 6-126 in 46 overs.

Ross Taylor made 67 as he and Brendon McCullum, who contributed 42, held up the tourists by counter-attacking the second new ball.

Tim Southee then treated the crowd to some explosive hitting to delay the inevitable, his unbeaten 77 seeing him finish as the Black Caps' top scorer.

However, the debutant couldn't stop Michael Vaughan's side clinching a first triumph on their travels since they defeated South Africa in 2005.

Positive approach

The home side started the morning session as if they still had ambitions of pulling off an amazing victory, hitting a total of 54 runs in the first nine overs.

Taylor, who had hit three boundaries off Ryan Sidebottom's opening over of the day, reached his half century in 85 balls to continue his fine run of form in the series.

The introduction of Panesar suddenly saw two wickets fall quickly, the spinner needing only 12 balls to end a 104-run stand.

A well-flighted delivery turned just enough to take the outside edge of Taylor's bat and reach Paul Collingwood at second slip.

McCullum soon followed for 42, his attempts to work a straight ball through square leg off the back foot only ending up in him getting an inside edge onto his own stumps.

Stubborn resistance

Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel (18) combined to keep the Kiwis alive with a partnership of 48, England happy to give up easy boundaries in their pursuit of the three wickets they required.

Eventually Panesar put paid to the resistance, Patel making good connection with a sweep shot but hitting it too close to Stuart Broad at short fine leg who took a good catch diving low to his left.

Vettori battled bravely to make 43 off just 56 deliveries before getting a thin edge to a James Anderson bouncer that left Tim Ambrose with a simple catch behind the stumps.

England were forced to wait until after lunch to finally finish the game, Southee holding up their celebrations with some mighty blows that continued the entertainment right until the very end.

The teenager's extraordinary knock that took just 40 balls included two fours and nine sixes, five of which were belted off Panesar to the short legside boundary.

Fittingly it was Sidebottom who came back on to claim the final wicket, his 24th of the series, the seamer knocking back Chris Martin's off stump to end a stunning last-wicket partnership of 84 that pushed the hosts up to 431.