A walk in the park for host

England won by an innings and nine runs against a poor New Zealand side and took the series 2-0 and, incredibly, all those fans basking in the sunshine knew that is how it would be, writes Ted Corbett.

They came in their thousands, blocking the traffic on the Radcliffe Road, almost filling the new stand all white and gleaming, pestered the food stalls until they ordered more of everything — well, they had not anticipated a crowd of any sort — and put on the hats and the sun cream and drank plenty of liquids as the tannoy announcer advised and settled down and really, really enjoyed the dozen or so overs that brought about the end of the third Test at Trent Bridge.

England won, by the way, by an innings and nine runs against a poor New Zealand side and took the series 2-0 and, incredibly, all those fans basking in the sunshine knew that is how it would be.

Yes, I know you can argue that they had paid for their tickets, arranged for the third or the fourth funeral of their grandmother so they could scrounge a day off and given little Johnny a note for the teacher to say he was going to be sick this sunny Monday.

This influx of spectators for what was, in truth, a dead match gave the authorities a boost because even though the match was almost finished, even though New Zealand were hardly exciting and even though England were struggling to put the final touches to the Kiwi batsmen second time round these dedicated followers wanted their fill of Test cricket.

In other words, there was rather less need to worry about Twenty20 matches than the England and Wales Cricket Board feared.

For all the immense changes that have come into being in the last 20 years, for all the computers, the constant reminders of health and safety, 11 years of New Labour government, the interventions of the third umpire, the talk of refereeing football matches through the lens of a camera, or the need to keep suspects in prison for longer, England is still home to the most died-in-the-wool conservatives.

Particularly cricket folk.

Even if you throw Australia into the mix, this country is where Test cricket holds most sway. If there is a half empty ground for a Test from Lord’s to Chester-le-Street it is time for a national debate; and I cannot remember the last time that happened.

Cricket lovers of England have been brought up to believe that Tests are the ultimate form of enjoyment, be they slow or dramatic, full of runs or overwhelmed by maiden overs, dropped catches and missed stumpings.

They will not give up that belief easily which means that ground like Trent Bridge, where the new stand — by the Duke of Edinburgh — has brought the crowd limit up to 17,000, will never be empty.

Test cricket is safe here. The faithful fan will ensure that, even though he may be tempted to a one-day international and will follow Twenty20 matches. But he will not give up Tests, his idea of nirvana.

We should be thankful. The games which have been the backbone of cricket in England going back into the 1880s can be planned without any cause for concern that they will not draw a crowd however bad England may be or, indeed, however miserable the opposition.

Just as for instance, here was a match that had enough skills and thrills to entertain anyone.

Daniel Vettori, a captain who gives the impression that he is his own man but that sometimes he would like to find a teacher, a soul mate, a No. 2, he could consult, won the toss and put England in to bat.

Of course, putting a side in to bat does not mean that you can expect to see them all back in the pavilion for 150; but you ought not to allow them to make 364 as England did.

I guess Vettori thought that some of the top order might make a run or two and only a fool ignores the possibility that Kevin Pietersen will play an outstanding innings but I guess that when Pietersen was out at 247 for six and Tim Ambrose at 262 for seven his whole side celebrated.

They must have gritted their teeth at Stuart Broad hitting 64 and Jimmy Anderson with 28 as both made their highest Test scores.

Vettori’s hope that his quicker bowlers would swing open the door to a series levelling draw came to nothing.

He had hoped that his men would bowl as Anderson did at the end of the second day when he smashed his way through the defences of the top six batsmen, when he bowled better than Ryan Sidebottom who was playing on what has become his home ground, when he gave a fine exhibition of what the best swinger in town can achieve.

I hope you got a glimpse of what Anderson did. He said afterwards that his rhythm had been perfect from the start, that he had hit a patch of form beyond his wildest imaginations and his whole face, lit up like a beacon, told you that this quiet, almost introvert cricketer was at his peak.

What it will take to make Anderson burst into song after a major success no-one knows although he did smile when asked how he fancied taking all 10; but it needed a sharp burst of his quickest bowling by Stuart Broad to finish off New Zealand at 123.

Anderson had seven for 43, his best in Tests, Broad took two for 10 and Sidebottom, with 1 for 49, was clearly annoyed that he had not had the rewards for his own good bowling. He made up for it in the second innings with six for 67

There was stouter resistance from New Zealand after they had been made to follow on, but they could only reach 232: 71 from Brendon McCullum while Gareth Hopkins made his debut as ’keeper. Daniel Flynn struck 49 when there was still a possibility his side might make a total big enough to force England to bat again and Jacob Oram 50 not out to show he might not relish bouncers from Broad but that he could cope.

The crowd loved it. They stayed behind to eat their lunchtime sandwiches, they went to the pavilion, the old museum and the Trent Bridge Inn where some say international cricket began; and they applauded dutifully when the Man of the Match and the captains made their speeches.

On a sunny afternoon all seemed right with England. No concern about selling tickets and if the fans of England were asked to begin queuing now they would be quite happy to fall in line.

The Scores

Trent Bridge, Nottingham, June 5 to 8. England won by an innings and nine runs.

England 1st innings: A. J. Strauss c Taylor b Mills 37; A. N. Cook b Mills 6; M. P. Vaughan b O’Brien 16; K. P. Pietersen c Hopkins b O’Brien 115; I. R. Bell lbw b O’Brien 0; P. D. Collingwood c Taylor b Mills 0; T. R. Ambrose c Hopkins b O’Brien 67; S. J. Broad b Martin 64; J. M. Anderson c Hopkins b Oram 28; R. J. Sidebottom not out 7; M. S. Panesar c McCullum b Vettori 0; Extras (b 10, lb 9, w 1, nb 4) 24; Total 364.

Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-44, 3-84, 4-85, 5-86, 6-247, 7-262, 8-338, 9-361.

New Zealand bowling: Martin 22-5-83-1; Mills 31-8-76-3; O’Brien 23-4-74-4; Oram 22-7-35-1; Vettori 28.5-4-77-1.

New Zealand 1st innings: J. M. How c Ambrose b Anderson 40; A. J. Redmond b Anderson 1; B. B. McCullum b Anderson 9; L. Taylor c Pietersen b Anderson 21; D. R. Flynn lbw b Anderson 0; G. J. Hopkins lbw b Anderson 15; J. P. Oram c Ambrose b Anderson 7; D. L. Vettori c Strauss b Sidebottom 7; K. D. Mills c Pietersen b Broad 1; I. E. O’Brien b Broad 0; C. S. Martin not out 0; Extras (b 8, lb 8, w 6) 22; Total 123.

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-14, 3-62, 4-62, 5-77, 6-93, 7-108, 8-123, 9-123.

England bowling: Sidebottom 17-4-49-1; Anderson 21.3-8-43-7; Collingwood 2-0-5-0; Broad 6-3-10-2.

New Zealand 2nd innings: J. M. How c Cook b Sidebottom 19; A. J. Redmond c Ambrose b Broad 2; B. B. McCullum b Anderson 71; L. Taylor lbw b Broad 14; D. R. Flynn c Ambrose b Sidebottom 49; G. J. Hopkins c Ambrose b Sidebottom 12; J. P. Oram 50 (not out) ; D. L. Vettori c Pietersen b Sidebottom 1; K. D. Mills c Strauss b Sidebottom 2; I. E. O’Brien c Collingwood b Sidebottom 4; C. S. Martin c Collingwood b Anderson 0; Extras (b 3, lb 4, w 1) 8; Total 232.

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-33, 3-58, 4-152, 5-169, 6-197, 7-205, 8-221, 9-225.

England bowling: Sidebottom 24-7-67-6; Anderson 14.3-3-55-2; Broad 21-4-77-2; Panesar 11-4-21-0; Collingwood 2-1-5-0.