Ed Giddins toasted his fine bowling performance in
England’s crushing victory over Zimbabwe when he was nominated Man of the Match.
The Warwickshire fast bowler was rewarded for his five wickets for 15 runs in the first
innings by adjudicator Jonathan Agnew.
Aggers had admitted that it was difficult to pick a winner after a convincing England
display as they dispatched Zimbabwe in less than four days at Lord’s.
Zimbabwe fought back from a dreadful 36 for 5 overnight to struggle to 123 all out
today – leaving England victors by an innings and 209 runs.
Andy Caddick and Darren Gough’s bowling exploits were praised, as were centurions
Graeme Hick and Alec Stewart.
Zimbabwean Heath Streak’s 6 for 87 was also commended by the former Leicestershire
fast bowler.
But he selected Giddins after revealing that the paceman had taken the
"pfeiffer" in the shortest spell by England bowler – just seven overs - for
more than 75 years.
Giddins’ name will go on an honours board at Lord’s to mark his five-wicket
haul just two years after he completed a suspension after traces of cocaine were found in
a blood test.
As Zimbabwe’s tail wagged in the second innings to provide a last gasp of
defiance, he added two more wickets in the same over.
He trapped nightwatchman Brian Murphy lbw, before his county colleague Nick Knight held
a fine catch in the slips to dismiss Streak for a duck.
Knight’s recall saw him accompanying Stewart in a long-stand on Saturday before
England’s tail contrived a familiar collapse.
Looking nervous at first, he got of the mark with a poke down to third man and reached
44 before being caught at slip.
He never looked as if he was totally relaxed, but found some rhythm with some fluent
cover drives, and proved an excellent foil for Stewart.
But the attention remained on Giddins, who collected £2,500 and a magnum of champagne
for his accolade.
He refused to praise individuals and said it had been a crushing team performance.
He said:
"It was a great all-round performance and we're thoroughly pleased to get it over
and done with today."
Giddins added that the team were looking forward to the second Test, which starts at
Trent Bridge, Nottingham on 1 June.
