Print

Mail

wiki links

Richardson puts NZ in pound seat

New Zealand's Mark Richardson falls off the bowling of England's Stephen Harmison, right, at Lord's on Thursday. PHOTO: EPA

Mark Richardson's painstaking 93 was the cornerstone of New Zealand's 284 for five on a finely balanced opening day of the first Test against England at Lord's on Thursday.

Left-handed opener Richardson, who batted for over six hours, was within touching distance of his fourth Test hundred when, in fading light, he was given out lbw to paceman Stephen Harmison by Australian umpire Darrell Hair.

But replays showed Richardson, dropped twice by England, had got a big inside-edge on to his pad.

Richardson's best Test score against England saw him face 266 balls including 17 fours.

Together with all-rounder Jacob Oram he shared a stand of 106, his second hundred partnership of the innings after putting on 103 with Nathan Astle.

When bad light forced an early close Oram was 64 not out off 75 balls including 10 fours. Nightwatchman Daryl Tuffey was two not out.

Oram's innings and Astle's dashing 64 may have been more crowd-pleasing but there was no doubting the value of Richardson's effort.

And Oram's attacking display ensured the innings did not stagnate as his fellow left-hander Richardson, strong through the offside and square of the wicket, carried on in measured fashion.

New Zealand, 172 for three at tea, lost Craig McMillan in the sixth over afterwards when he was lbw to seamer Matthew Hoggard for six.

But England missed a chance when Richardson, still on his tea score of 56, saw Ashley Giles drop a difficult chance in the gully following a sliced drive off Harmison.

Richardson was previously given a life on 24 when Graham Thorpe failed to hold a right-handed slip chance above his head.

Oram used his height to good effect with some booming straight driven fours.

England struggled with their line to the left-handers just as they had done earlier with Fleming.

Marcus Trescothick, deputizing as England captain in place of the injured Michael Vaughan, eventually brought on left-arm spinner Giles after 72 overs of pace bowling.

But soon afterwards Oram drove Giles straight back over his head for four, the first of five boundaries he took off the Warwickshire bowler.

An aggressive pulled four by Oram off Harmison brought up a hundred partnership with Richardson in 148 balls.

Earlier, England took two wickets in five balls and in the process ended Richardson and Astle's stand.

Astle, despite giving Richardson a 67-ball start, was first to his fifty.

He played some sublime strokes before he nicked a good length ball from Flintoff through to wicket-keeper Geraint Jones.
This story has been viewed 1646 times.