New Zealand fight back in second Test

New Zealand fought back strongly on the third day of the second Test on Saturday as England collapsed after lunch to 280 all out.

At the close New Zealand, needing a victory to square the three-Test series, were 70 for one.

On a day overshadowed by news of the road accident death of their England colleague Ben Hollioake, the tourists went to lunch at 199 for four, with New Zealand on the back foot.

But the New Zealanders fought back well in the afternoon session, capturing the final six wickets for 81 runs.

The first after lunch came with the score at 221. Hollioake's Surrey team mate Mark Ramprakash fell when he chopped an Ian Butler ball on to his stumps for 24 and on the same score the mainstay of the England innings, captain Nasser Hussain, was out for 66.

Hussain attempted his favoured sweep to Daniel Vettori but mistimed the shot and the ball appeared to either hit the back of the bat or the gloves and balloon to Nathan Astle at second slip.

From Hussain's unhappy reaction, he obviously thought the ball had missed both bat and glove and hit him on the forearm.

Andy Flintoff had scored just two when he mistimed a shot backward of square off Butler and got a leading edge that gave Chris Drum the easiest of catches running in from mid-on.

SECOND REPRIEVE

In the following Butler over Ashley Giles was caught behind off a no-ball, the second England reprieve after Hussain was caught by Butler off a Vettori no-ball shortly before lunch.

Giles scored 10 before he cut a ball straight to Craig McMillan at point off Butler and Andy Caddick struck a couple of fine blows before he was undone by some clever bowling by Chris Martin.

Martin bowled two bouncers in succession and with the next ball gave Caddick a half-volley which he dispatched straight to the hands of Mark Richardson at mid-off.

A fighting last wicket stand between wicketkeeper James Foster and Matthew Hoggard realised 30, with Hoggard last out for seven and Foster not out 25, including the only six of the innings when he went down the pitch and lofted Drum over long-off.

The New Zealand bowlers were rewarded for some aggressive bowling, with the most successful being Butler in his second Test. He was less expensive than the previous two innings he has bowled for the New Zealanders, recording his best figures of four for 60.

New Zealand openers Mark Richardson and Matthew Horne looked comfortable against the new ball attack before Horne played around a full-length delivery from Caddick and was bowled for eight with the total on 16.

Caddick was unlucky not to get another wicket when Lou Vincent appeared to be out caught off bat and pad by Ramprakash diving forward at short-leg. The appeal was rejected by umpire Steve Dunne.

The pair batted slowly against some accurate England bowling with both players benefitting from dropped catches.

Richardson was missed by Michael Vaughan close on the off-side off left-arm spinner Ashley Giles while Foster spilled a harder chance from Vincent off Hoggard diving to his left.

They both survived to bring up the 50 partnership from 150 balls and when bad light ended play for the day Richardson had taken his total to 29 while Vincent was on 30.

Mail Cricket Editor