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New Zealand take control

Sunday, May 23 2004

Another fluctuating day in this fascinating Test Match saw both sides enjoy spells of dominance as the pendulum swung first one way and then the other.

It was definitely a day of three distinct sessions as the Black Caps had the better of the morning and evening, whilst England controlled the afternoon.

Resuming on 246-2, England were looking to see off the forthcoming New Ball and bat New Zealand out of the game, but these plans were dented in the 5th over of the day when a Daniel Vettori ball kept low and Mark Butcher got the faintest of bottom edges to the ball and Brendon McCullum took a regulation catch behind the stumps. Butcher didn't look happy at the decision, but TV replays showed that the umpire had made a superb decision, and Nasser Hussain, whose position was again under scrutiny with the performance of Andrew Strauss, came out to join the dogged nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard.

Hoggard was the next man to fall, as he edged a short ball from Jacob Oram through to McCullum, but his innings was valued far more than the 16 runs he added as he survived for just under an hour and a half and saw off the initial burst with the New Ball.

The stage was set for the old-timers to share another classic partnership, but the uneven bounce counted for Graeme Thorpe almost before he got in as he chopped a ball from Chris Cairns back onto his stumps. Suddenly the score was 297-5 and the New Zealanders had their tails up.

The confidence was shown as Nasser Hussain fell about fifteen minutes before lunch, a super bit of bowling from Chris Martin to swing one in through his gate and clatter into the stumps. Hussain's only false shot saw his demise after an otherwise very fluent innings of 34 that belied some of his more recent efforts for his country.

Geraint Jones joined Andrew Flintoff and the pair batted sensibly through to lunch at 330-6, only 56 runs behind, but with just Ashley Giles and the quicks to follow.

The pressure was on the pair to try and get some sort of parity, but 2 poor overs straight after lunch brought 19 runs and allowed them to relax and play their natural attacking game. Jones was superb in driving down the ground and Flintoff through the covers as an hour of exhilarating batting saw England not only up to, but beyond the New Zealand score in the blink of an eye.

Stephen Fleming looked helpless and in his desperation turned to Scott Styris to try and do what his main 5 couldn't. With only his 4th ball, Styris obliged as Jones drove the ball straight to Oram and was out for 46 from just 52 balls, having hit 6 fours and a glorious six back over Vettori's head. The partnership had added 105 runs in under 19 overs and put England seemingly back in control of the game.

That wicket proved the turning point though, as Flintoff fell to a well-held catch by Mark Richhardson, a second wicket for Chris Martin - he had played extremely well for his 63 from 85 balls, but the shot may have been a little rash considering that Ashley Giles at the other end is no mug with the bat so he still had support.

As expected the quicks didn't last long as Simon Jones was bowled by Martin and then Giles fell to another Oram catch and an early tea was taken with England 441 all out and 55 in the lead.

Stand-in skipper Marcus Trescothick and his dressing room brains-trust pulled a shock by getting Andrew Flintoff to share the new ball with the hostile Steve Harmison against Richardson and Fleming.

Harmison was fired up and got almost immediate success when Fleming nicked a ball onto his thigh pad and short leg Hussain took a superb catch inches from the ground. The early breakthrough was just what the doctor ordered and at 7-1, McCullum was promoted up to number 3 to replace the ailing Nathan Astle.

In the next over, McCullum had the luckiest of escapes as he gloved a ball through to Jones for what appeared to be a routine dismissal. Unfortunately for England, the umpire didn't agree and he stayed there.

At first it didn't look like the decision would cost England too dearly as he proceeded to play some risky shots early in his innings, but nothing went to hand and as time went on, with Richardson solid in defense again - how many times will we say that this summer? - New Zealand got the upper hand, sailing past England's lead.

Giles and Jones' bowling was treated particularly harshly, forcing Trescothick back to his opening bowlers, but one must ask how much a workload Flintoff should bear at this early stage of a long summer...

By the close, McCullum had hit 12 fours all around the wicket and had progressed to the highest of his 3 fifties in only 7 innings in Tests. More of the same is likely tomorrow.

New Zealand (386 and 134-1) lead England (441) by 79 runs with 9 wickets remaining.

Posted by Marc