Tuffey gives NZ glimmer of hope

Daryl Tuffey, playing his first match of the series, took two wickets in his opening over on Monday to give New Zealand side a glimmer of hope in the third Test against England.

At the close of a rain-shortened third day, England were 12 for three in reply to New Zealand's 202 all out. The home side need a victory to square the three-Test series.

Tuffey trapped Marcus Trescothick lbw for a duck with his second ball then had Mark Butcher caught at short-leg off the fifth, also without scoring. The over was an action replay of the first over of the series in Christchurch when Chris Cairns dismissed the same pair for ducks.

After bowling well in the one-day series, Tuffey was dropped for the first Test and made 12th man in the second.

Chris Drum, playing his final Test, chipped in with the wicket of England captain Nasser Hussain, caught at first slip by his opposite number Stephen Fleming for two.

After rain had washed out Sunday's second day, only one hour's play was possible before tea on Monday when New Zealand resumed at 151 for five.

During that period Chris Harris, 55 not out, equalled his highest Test score of 71 before he was lbw playing no shot at Andy Flintoff.

Harris had hit the first boundary of the morning after 25 minutes' play with a slice over slips off Hoggard before taking another four through Ashley Giles in the gully.

Rain then forced the players off the field until 4.13 p.m. (0513 GMT) when play resumed in bright sunshine.

PARORE FLOURISHES

After a cautious start wicketkeeper Adam Parore started to play his shots, pulling Matthew Hoggard for four then driving Flintoff over extra cover for six.

He finally perished caught on the leg-side boundary by substitute fielder Usman Afzaal off Flintoff for 45 as the New Zealand innings disintegrated with the final five wickets falling for 30 runs.

Daniel Vettori was lbw to Hoggard for three, playing across a full-length delivery then debutant Andre Adams got off the mark off a Flintoff no-ball that flew through Hussain's hands at first slip. The next ball again went through Hussain's hands, this time above his head, for a single.

Adams soon perished for seven, hitting a simple catch of the leading edge to Giles off Flintoff and Tuffey was caught on the backward-square boundary attempting to hook Hoggard.

Fleming said he had considered declaring during one of the rain breaks but had decided to bat on in the hope of some quick runs.

"We threw the bat at it a bit hoping to get a couple of nicks for four to push the score up," he said. "An extra 10 or 20 runs would have come in handy but I can't complain."

Fleming said he would have liked to see more cricket played during the day.

"We are in the entertainment business and we have to be careful not to be too precious about conditions," he said.

"There is a time-of-year factor right now and perhaps we need to look at that. The light is so unnatural when the lights go on they don't make a lot of difference."

Fleming, who turned 29 on Monday, took his tally of Test catches to 99 with the catch off Hussain and immediately turned to the travelling band of England supporters in triumph.

The so-called "Barmy Army" had been taunting him with a chant of "worst captain in the world".

"I've had that ringing in my ears for three Tests now and it does get to me a little bit," he said. "New Zealanders have been outnumbered in the Tests, which is a bit disappointing and the Barmy Army is great for the game."

Mail Cricket Editor