Cricket: Key crowded hour or two

Joe Root, 30 not out, will look to press England s advantage. Photo / Photosport

Team to grab game by scruff of neck in today’s first session may be triumphant.

On one point, the New Zealand and England camps are united: today's first session at Hagley Oval will be key in the outcome of the final test of the summer.

New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling admitted last night England were "definitely in front", with the tourists 202 for three in their second innings, holding an overall lead of 231 with two days remaining.

New Zealand's highest winning fourth-innings score was 324 for five, against Pakistan at Lancaster Park in 1994.

"It's a massive session [today]. If we can take four or five wickets, we can put them under pressure. If they get through it, they're in control. The first session will tell us a lot," Watling said.

England batting coach Graham Thorpe wasn't about to disagree.

"When we were five down on day one [for 94], we'd certainly take the position we're in now," the former test batsman said.

"We need a good first session and avoid any hiccups in the morning."

In Thorpe's ideal world, England will be batting well into the second session today with a healthy lead "and maybe out of sight". Ideal worlds don't come round every day, though, and he pointed out the light had cut the last two days short. England, it is important to remember, need to win the test to square the series.

They may need to think their declaration through carefully. If there's any running to be made, it's the tourists who must make it.

England have lost 10 and drawn two of their last 12 away tests. You reckon they want to end that run at Hagley Oval? Too right and they've done a decent job so far of getting themselves into a favourable position.

A 123-run second-wicket stand yesterday between Mark Stoneman and James Vince, who both needed runs to increase their chances of holding their test places for the English season ahead, was significant.

Left-handed opener Stoneman had three slices of luck - dropped twice off the luckless Colin de Grandhomme, on 48 by Ross Taylor at a wideish first slip, one-handed to his right, and 57 by Tim Southee, also at slip, high to his left, plus surviving a DRS on a catch at the wicket, which brushed his shoulder - but worked hard and got a good reward.

Vince, who was involved in a remarkable four DRS referrals over his two innings - three of them worked in his favour - unfurled some delightful shots but his reputation for getting out when he shouldn't followed him, driving out at Trent Boult to be smartly caught at slip by Taylor on 76.

New Zealand's bowlers worked hard but lacked inspiration yesterday. The pitch is good for batting and even the new ball didn't prove as helpful as in the first innings.

The suspicion is the pitch is slowly deadening, and England will have to factor that into their calculations, too. They'll need to give themselves plenty of overs to bowl out New Zealand.

Earlier, New Zealand got within 29 runs of England's first innings, largely courtesy of Southee's fourth half century. For the second time, he has taken five wickets in an innings and made a half century.