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Kiwis make England’s batsmen knuckle down

England’s Alastair Cook is bowled by Kyle Mills of New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

New Zealand exploited helpful conditions to take two early wickets before England avoided further losses to be 84 for two at lunch on the first day of the third Test at Trent Bridge yesterday.

Alastair Cook and England captain Michael Vaughan both fell cheaply yesterday in a match New Zealand have to win to level the three-match series at 1-1.

But Andrew Strauss, England’s century hero in their six-wicket second Test win at Old Trafford, was 37 not out and Kevin Pietersen, yet to score a boundary, unbeaten on 15.

New Zealand opening bowlers Chris Martin and Kyle Mills justified captain Daniel Vettori’s decision to field first on a soft, green-tinged pitch as the skipper looked to apply early pressure. They each beat England’s left-handed opening combination of Strauss and Cook on the outside edge, the pace duo making the ball cut away off the seam and lift sharply.

Mills then bowled Cook, only half forward, off an inside edge for six to leave the hosts 14 for one in the sixth over.

The next ball Mills produced a nearly unplayable delivery to Vaughan that cut away and bounced steeply.

But Vaughan got off the mark with a trademark cover-driven four off Martin and two balls later repeated the dose. The Yorkshire batsman then made it three boundaries in four balls when he forced Martin down the ground off the backfoot. But first change Iain O’Brien, who bowled well into the wind at Old Trafford, ended Vaughan’s innings with his 10th ball. O’Brien clean bowled Vaughan for 16, the off-stump knocked back after the batsman missed a straight ball attempting a drive.

England were now 44 for two in the 13th over and the run-rate slowed to such an extent they went 15 overs without a boundary until Strauss cut Jacob Oram behind square on the offside.
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