England had started the day in unconvincing fashion, losing their final four wickets for just 33 runs.

That meant New Zealand required 239 to win.

Any prospect of a Kiwi victory, however, quickly vanished as Broad and James Anderson ripped through the batting order to seal an ultimately comfortable victory.

Reflecting on the match afterwards, Broad insisted the man-of-the-match award should have gone to Anderson.

“This award should have gone to Jimmy, he was fantastic in this Test, he picked up his 300th wicket and he’s a pleasure to bowl with,” he said.

“We knew there was enough there for the bowlers. We talked about getting it full enough to give the ball a chance.”

The result gives England a 1-0 lead in the two-match series ahead of the second Test at Headingley, which gets underway on Friday.

The club also missed out on the Premier League and Champions League trophies this season.

Mancini has kept quiet about his sacking but bought a full-page advert in the Manchester Evening News to deliver a farewell message to supporters.

“Three unforgettable years,” the headline reads.

Underneath a picture of Mancini waving and the three major trophies he won during his time at the club, the 48-year-old adds: “You will always be in my heart. Ciao.”

Mancini joined Manchester City in December 2009 and guided the club to the FA Cup in 2010/11, the Premier League title in 2011/12 and the FA Community Shield last summer.

In a statement announcing his departure, the club’s chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak said: “Roberto’s record speaks for itself and he has the respect and gratitude … for all of his hard work and commitment over the last three and a half years.”

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has been tipped as a possible replacement for Mancini, although the Chilean insists no agreement has been reached.

Assistant manager Brian Kidd has been placed in temporary charge of the team.

City play Norwich on the final day of the 2012/13 campaign before a post-season tour of the US.

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Ferguson said: “1,500 matches,  it’s quite incredible. Every team wants to win their last home game, that’s a fact of life,and also I want to win this one more than last week’s even.”

Sir Alex says he will be keeping himself busy outside of football when he finally ends his 26-and-half-year reign at United.

Asked to divulge his immediate plans, he revealed that he has a League Managers’ Association meeting on Monday, followed by two days at Newmarket races.

He will then go on holiday, before returning for a hip operation in early August.

Ferguson was presented with a cake by the media at his final news conference in honour of the 26 years he has spent at Old Trafford.

He said: “There have been some times when I have not agreed with what people have written and when you write positive things I tend to dismiss them.

“But I have never held a grudge. It is not my style.”

This time he’s written his own script – retiring seven days after his first managerial mentor Sir Alex Ferguson and going on his own terms. Leaving us wanting more.

Well some of us.

For 15 years he’s had to deal with flak, some of it of his own creation, some born of jealousy.

His red card for kicking an Argentinian opponent in the 1998 World Cup was top of the crime sheet for those who saw him as an overrated pretty boy who cared more about his image than his football. Some still do.

Eyebrows were raised when stand-in manager Peter Taylor made him England captain.

But Taylor had cut through the flim-flam, ignored the petulant past and the showbiz marriage to Spice Girl Victoria Adams (how many remember that maiden name now?) and seen the inspiring leadership material in the maturing Manchester United midfielder.

While the vital goal against Greece sticks in more memories, another match in that World Cup qualifying campaign better illustrated the talisman that Beckham was becoming.

Playing Finland in a World Cup qualifier at Anfield, England were hopeless, and losing. Only Beckham played to his potential, dragging his teammates back into the match, ultimately scoring the winner.

It was classic Beckham. Giving everything, exploiting his talent to the full.

He wasn’t the most skilful player of his era. Not even of his club. Ryan Giggs had more natural ability, George Best far more.

But while Best, tragically, was unable to make the most of his gifts, Beckham was dedicated enough to make himself as good at free-kicks and crosses of a football as anyone on the planet, and smart enough to surround himself with the people who turned him into a winning brand.

Never mind the ageing legs, it’s all about the underpants, the sportswear, the fizzy drinks and the rest.

When Sir Alex threw a boot at Beckham and sold him, he became a globetrotting veteran, gathering trophies, friends and marketability with every air mile.

Madrid, Los Angeles, Milan and Paris as a player. Beijing, Sydney, Tokyo and so many more as a brand. A dozen deals signed here, a hundred photographs posed for there, a thousand smiles captured by adoring millions.

And now, as he ends it like Beckham, where will you find his next script ? At a cinema near you ?

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Team medical staff had monitored the 33-year-old overnight after he struggled on stage 12 from Longarone to Treviso and was dropped by the peloton in the closing stages.

Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “We monitored Bradley overnight and this morning we’ve withdrawn him from the Giro after consulting the team doctor.

“His chest infection has been getting worse and our primary concern is always the health of our riders.

“Bradley will return to the UK today for treatment and to rest and we hope to have him back on the road as soon as possible.”

He lost the first set 6-3 and required treatment on court soon after but then fought back from 4-1 down to win the second set, 7-6.

However, the injury was too much of a hindrance and he conceded defeat immediately after clinching the tie-break, making it a birthday to forget for the Scot. 

It looked as though his decision to retire was precautionary ahead of the start of the year’s second grand slam next Sunday but his post-match comments gave a downbeat assessment of his chances of playing in Paris.

“I need to make plans and see what to do. Tonight I’ll speak with the physio and come up with a plan for the next few days and then make a decision on Paris after the next five days.

“I’ll need to take some days off and see how it settles down, but a few days can make a difference,” Murray was quoted as saying on the official ATP website.

“I’ll try and get it sorted but it has been an issue for some while,” said Murray.

“So I want to make sure that it’s something that I can sort out. It’s not enjoyable to play now.”

The French Open begins on May 26.

Since Roberto Mancini’s departure earlier this week, he has been heavily linked with the vacancy at the Etihad Stadium although Barcelona are also thought to be tracking his availability. 

His contract does still have two years to run but Malaga have confirmed he can leave on June 30. 

He guided the club to the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season, where they were beaten by finalists Borussia Dortmund.

Malaga are banned from European competition next season for failing to pay players’ wages and tax bills on time.

“At the age of 34, I feel it is right for me to stand aside and let the younger players come through, which allows me to concentrate on my club career, ” he said.

”The team looks in great shape and there is an influx of young, talented players coming through the ranks which bodes well for the future.”

He was called up to the England squad to face San Marino and Montenegro in March but refused to travel over fitness concerns.

England boss Roy Hodgson has paid tribute to his career.

“To have captained his country, to play at three World Cups and indeed score in one of those, marks him out amongst a very special group of players,” said Hodgson.

“I wish him all the best in his club career, and I’m sure the former managers he played under and every England fan will join me in thanking him for his service.”

Motorsport director Paul Hembery said in a statement that the tyres will feature a revised construction including elements from last season’s tyres.

“Our aim is to provide the teams with a new range which mixes the stability of the 2012 tyres and the performance of the current ones,” Hembery said.

“As a company, we have always moved quickly to make improvements where we see them to be necessary.”

Pirelli does not have time to make modifications in time for the Monaco GP next week, so changes will not be ready until next month’s race in Montreal. 

Most drivers had planned for a three-stop strategy in Barcelona but had to change tactics and switch to four.

That hurt Red Bull in particular, with both of their cars finishing behind the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso, who won the race, and Felipe Massa, who was third.

“After evaluating data from the first few races this year, we’ve decided to introduce a further evolution as it became clear at the Spanish Grand Prix that the number of pit stops was too high,” Hembery added.

“The Spanish Grand Prix was won with four pit stops, which has only happened once before in our history. These changes will also mean that the tyres are not worked quite as hard, reducing the number of pit stops.”

Warnings issued over the stadium speaker system were  ignored, leading to the match being stopped.

“Small fines for racist abuse (are) unacceptable,” Blatter wrote Tuesday on Twitter.

His willingness to tackle racism in football was previously questioned, and he was forced to apologise in 2011 for saying incidents between players on the field should be settled by a handshake.

“What is surprising and is not understandable for me, is that the disciplinary committee of the Italian Football Federation has taken a decision, not even 24 hours after the event, by just imposing a fine,” Blatter said on FIFA’s website.

“They have not made any investigation of what happened. And just to give a pecuniary sanction is not valid, that is not acceptable. You will always find money.”

“What is 50,000 euros (£42,000) for such an incident? I’m not happy and I will call the Italian federation. That’s not a way to deal with such matters.”