Adams strikes twice in NZ victory

New Zealand debutant all-rounder Andre Adams struck twice in successive overs on Wednesday to send England plunging to a 78-run defeat in the third and final Test.

Adams removed the defiant James Foster for 23 then caught and bowled captain Nasser Hussain (82) with an acrobatic tumbling catch.

Chris Drum had Andy Caddick caught for four and Adams then dismissed Matthew Hoggard for two as England succumbed for 233.

After Stephen Fleming had declared New Zealand's first innings closed at the overnight total of 269 for nine, England made a positive start with Marcus Trescothick driving the first ball of the day for three.

But after scoring 14 the tall left-hander was too slow withdrawing his bat from a Drum delivery. The ball hit the bat and cannoned into the stumps and the opener, who had begun in stylish, positive fashion, was gone for 14.

PUNISHING

Michael Vaughan was in a punishing mood, hitting Drum for six forward of square with his first scoring stroke. He struck five fours in his 42-ball stay for 36 before he played a rash shot to Drum's first ball of a new spell and was caught at first slip by Fleming.

England, needing a decent partnership, added 49 for the third wicket when Mark Butcher was out for 35, getting a thick edge on the shoulder of the bat to a Nathan Astle delivery which popped up to give substitute fielder Brooke Walker a simple catch at backward point.

Walker then bungled a chance from Graham Thorpe off the second ball he faced. Thorpe forced Astle to backward point wide of Walker, who appeared to dive and arrive at the ball earlier than he had hoped. The ball struck him on the forearm and was spilled.

Unlike Astle's second ball slip fumble off Thorpe in the first Test at Christchurch when the England left-hander went on to score 200, Walker was let off in the next over when Daryl Tuffey induced a nick by Thorpe (3) for Adam Parore to take his 200th wicketkeeping victim in his final Test.

Thorpe looked annoyed but replays suggested he had got the faintest of touches.

Andy Flintoff was bowled by Tuffey for a duck and Mark Ramprakash again disappointed, bowled by the same bowler for two.

Tuffey, playing his first game of the series, was named man-of-the-match for his nine wickets. Astle was man-of-the-series after his 222 in the first Test and 65 from 51 balls on Tuesday to set up New Zealand's victory charge.

Mail Cricket Editor