Thorpe slams double ton against New Zealand

Graham Thorpe, dropped on the second ball he faced, hit an unbeaten 200 on Friday as England put the New Zealand attack to the sword on the third day of the first Test.

In an astonishing turnaround from the first two days when the ball ruled the bat, England raced to 468 for six before Nasser Hussain declared after tea, setting an improbable victory target of 550.

Thorpe and Andy Flintoff (137) shared an England record sixth wicket stand against all countries of 281 as the visitors took total command. The previous best of 240 was scored by Peter Parfitt (131 not out) and Barry Knight (125) against New Zealand at Auckland in 1963.

Flintoff, whose recent Test form has been abysmal, struck with enormous power, smashing 23 fours and three sixes against a depleted New Zealand attack. Chris Cairns, who took two wickets in the opening over on Wednesday, did not take the field on Friday after injuring his right knee.

After scoring a duck in the first innings, Flintoff was quickly into his stride and brought up his first Test 50 from 49 balls with nine fours and a six.

Thorpe, who had been dropped second ball by Nathan Astle in the slips after hitting a boundary from his first delivery from paceman Chris Drum, was equally if less spectacularly aggressive.

RUN FEAST

The afternoon's run feast was totally out of character with the previous pattern of play on a pitch that was still lively when play resumed on Friday.

England, resuming on 63 for two, lost three wickets in the first hour before Thorpe and Flintoff turned the game decisively in their favour.

Captain Nasser Hussian was out early when he followed a wide delivery from fast-medium Chris Drum and snicked the ball to wicketkeeper Adam Parore.

Mark Butcher went for 34 when he stepped on to his stumps attempting to push an Ian Butler delivery from the back foot and Mark Ramprakash (11) played on to Drum.

During that period Hussain was dropped by Astle, a difficult chance, Thorpe was dropped from a straight-forward second slip catch and Ramprakash had a run-out escape when Mark Richardson missed the stumps from two metres.

That was the only time New Zealand looked like getting back into the match as Thorpe and Flintoff began to bat with the freedom usually seen in a one-day match.

Thorpe reached his 10th Test century and his third against New Zealand, followed closely by Flintoff and continued to accumulate runs remorselessly.

He reached his 200 in 330 minutes from 231 balls with 28 fours and four sixes before Hussain decided to end New Zealand's misery and declare with more than two days during which to dismiss the home side.

Mail Cricket Editor