A six-wicket haul by England paceman Stuart Broad left New Zealand fighting for survival as they were forced to follow on in the second Test at Wellington’s Basin Reserve yesterday.
At stumps, with two days remaining, New Zealand were 77-1 in their second innings, requiring a further 134 runs to make England bat again as they struggle to keep the series all square.
After the early loss of Hamish Rutherford, Peter Fulton (41 not out) and Kane Williamson (16 not out) negotiated the rest of the final session.
Photo: AFP
Earlier, Broad destroyed New Zealand’s first innings with 6-51, his seventh five-wicket haul in 54 Tests, as New Zealand collapsed to 254 all out in reply to England’s first innings 465.
The home side started the third day precariously poised at 66-3 and after overnight batsmen Kane Williamson (42) and Dean Brownlie (18) departed Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling put on 100 for the sixth wicket.
As the last recognized batsmen, New Zealand needed the pair to remain in the middle as long as possible, but both foundered in the 60s, opening up the tail.
The only other sign of resistance for the Black Caps came from Bruce Martin, in only his second Test, who finished unbeaten on 21 after producing figures of 4-130 in England’s first innings.
McCullum was undone by Steven Finn, edging the ball to Jonathan Trott in the slips.
New Zealand fell apart after McCullum’s departure for 69, losing their last five wickets for just 65 runs, ending up 12 short of avoiding the follow-on.
Broad took the first wicket of the day when he dismissed Williamson caught and bowled.
After Finn exposed the tail by dismissing McCullum, Broad removed Watling, who had looked comfortable until he nicked the ball to wicketkeeper Matt Prior when on 60.
The Broad-Prior combination then accounted for Neil Wagner, who faced 13 balls without scoring, and Trent Boult, who contributed two as the last man.
With the pitch posing few problems for the batsmen, despite scuff marks appearing, Fulton and Rutherford made a cautious start to New Zealand’s second innings.
They reached 25 before the breakthrough came for England midway through the 11th over when the decision to move Ian Bell to leg slip paid immediate dividends.
Rutherford’s attempt to steer Monty Panesar down the leg side produced a diving catch by Bell and he was gone for 15.
SRI LANKA V BANGLADESH
AFP, COLOMBO
Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath bagged five wickets as Bangladesh were bowled out for 240 in their first innings on the opening day of the second and final Test in Colombo yesterday.
The left-arm spinner finished with 5-68, his 15th haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings, while fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara took three wickets as the tourists were all out in the last session after being put in to bat.
Sri Lanka lost opener Tillakaratne Dilshan for no score before reaching 18-1 in reply at stumps. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was unbeaten on 12 with Kumar Sangakkara 3 not out.
Mominul Haque, who made 55 on debut in the drawn first Test in Galle, top-scored for Bangladesh with an impressive 64. Nasir Hossain (48), opener Jahurul Islam (33) and Sohag Gazi (32) were the other main scorers.
Herath dismissed skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (7) and Mohammad Mahmudullah (8) in four overs in the second session before removing Mominul, Gazi and Nasir in the last.
Nasir, who put on 59 for the seventh wicket with Gazi, cracked one six and two fours in his 87-ball knock before being the last man out, trapped leg-before by Herath.
The 21-year-old Mominul put on 49 for the third wicket with Jahurul to steady the innings after Bangladesh had lost two crucial wickets in the first session.
Tamim Iqbal was trapped leg-before for 10 while Mohammad Ashraful was run out for 16.
Jahurul hit just two fours in his patient 129-ball knock before being caught by wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal off Shaminda Eranga in the afternoon session.
INDIA V AUSTRALIA
By staff writer
Shikhar Dhawan scored the fastest-ever debut century as India raced to 283-0 on the third day of the third Test against Australia in Mohali yesterday.
Dhawan and Murali Vijay scored at nearly five an over after Australia were dismissed for 408 earlier in the day.
Dhawan will resume his innings today on 185 not out while Vijay was unbeaten on 83.
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