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Home > Cricket > Reuters > Report

Anderson sparks Zimbabwe humiliation


May 25, 2003 02:57 IST

Scorecard

Baby-faced James Anderson took five wickets on his England debut on Saturday as Zimbabwe crashed to an innings and 92-run defeat inside three days in the first Test.

Anderson captured five for 73 in the first innings at Lord's as the hapless Zimbabweans were skittled for 147.

Following on 325 runs adrift, they were then bowled out for 233 in good batting conditions to lose their eighth Test in a row.

The 20-year-old quick bowler, still playing club cricket just a year ago before making his mark at the World Cup, delighted a 20,000 crowd.

The second innings, however, provided two unlikely wicket-takers, occasional medium pacers Mark Butcher and Anthony McGrath sharing seven victims. In all on Saturday, 19 Zimbabwe wickets tumbled for 332 runs.

Seamer Matthew Hoggard provided the early first-innings inroads, with three wickets in the morning and wrapped up the innings with four for five in a 14-ball burst.

One delivery in particular, which began on Heath Streak's leg stump and smacked into the middle, stood out as Zimbabwe, resuming on 48 for one, lost nine wickets for 99 in perfect batting conditions.

BAD TO WORSE

By the end, though, Butcher and McGrath were challenging for the limelight as Zimbabwe went from bad to worse, their batting reduced to a shambles. Even a couple of dropped catches by skipper Nasser Hussain could not save them.

Butcher, who made 137 out of England's 472, took five wickets on Saturday, including four in the second innings.

The first of those, an away swinger, found the edge of Mark Vermeulen's bat and ended his 61-run stay while the second, an inswinger, trapped Stuart Carlisle lbw.

McGrath, another debutant and part time bowler, underlined the paucity of the tourists' challenge with three wickets of his own for 16, after making 69 in his one innings.

Zimbabwe, who had lost a string of first-choice players, failed to disrupt England's batting despite seaming, swinging conditions on the first two days.

On a Saturday suited to batsmen, they crumbled twice to an attack missing Darren Gough, Andy Caddick and all rounder Andrew Flintoff.

Resuming on 48 for one, they moved on to 64 before Hoggard, wobbling the ball about in the air, induced Carlisle to drive loosely and edge to Marcus Trescothick at first slip.

BATTING KEY

Grant Flower, the batting key after his brother Andy's retirement, then gloved to short leg for three before Dion Ebrahim, after an unconvincing 68, edged Butcher to gully.

That exposed a long tail and, 120 for five at lunch, the tourists quickly unravelled.

Wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu, at five despite a Test average of just over 16, looked robust enough for 25 before, facing strike bowler Steve Harmison, he aimed towards mid-wicket and ballooned a leading edge into third man's hands.

Anderson then bowled Streak (10) and made it 133 for eight next ball as Travis Friend played across the line.

Butcher helped out with a sharp second slip catch to dismiss all rounder Andy Blignaut cheaply before Anderson shaped another ball away to take last man Douglas Hondo's off stump.

Anderson was the 13th England bowler to take five wickets on his debut and the first since Dominic Cork in 1995.

© Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.



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