Cricket: NZ lose early wicket in unlikely chase

1.15pm

New Zealand lost an early wicket as they made a slow start to their chase for an unlikely 356 to beat England on the fifth day of the second cricket test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Opener Mark Richardson was dismissed for four to leave the home side 28 for one after 16 overs at lunch, and a draw appeared their best hope.

New Zealand had a further 70 overs to score the remaining 328 at the challenging run rate of 4.7 on a slow, difficult batting surface.

Richardson was caught by a running Graham Thorpe at short fine leg over his head after he top-edged a sweep off spinner Ashley Giles, who was introduced after just seven overs.

Matthew Horne was unbeaten on 21 at the break with Lou Vincent yet to score.

Resuming on 184 for one today, England piled on 109 runs off 18 overs thanks largely to a blazing Andrew Flintoff innings of 75 off 44 balls. They declared at the first drinks break on 293 for four.

The home side removed overnight batsmen Mark Butcher and Marcus Trescothick early on, both short of centuries.

Butcher hit Chris Drum straight to mid-off in the day's third over after a 111-ball innings of 60, and Trescothick followed three overs later just short of his third test century.

The left-hander attempted a sweep off spinner Daniel Vettori and lobbed a catch to Mark Richardson at short fine leg. He scored 88 off 129 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes.

Flintoff was elevated up the order and again showed the immense power which brought him a maiden test century in the first test in Christchurch.

For a while he threatened Indian Kapil Dev's test record for the fastest half-century off 30 balls as he reached 43 off 24 balls, but Drum bowled two dot balls.

Flintoff brought up the mark off 33 balls, including six fours and a six, to be equal fifth on the all-time list.

He celebrated by hitting paceman Chris Martin for a straight six high into the R A Vance Stand.

He was dismissed when he hit a return catch off a leading edge to Vettori, and captain Nasser Hussain and Thorpe nudged it to the declaration.

Vettori ended with three for 91 off 24 overs while Drum was the only other wicket-taker with one for 77 off 16.

Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day of the second cricket test:

England

First innings 280

Second innings (184-1 overnight)

M Trescothick c Richardson b Vettori 88

M Vaughan c Drum b Vettori 34

M Butcher c Martin b Drum 60

A Flintoff c and b Vettori 75

N Hussain not out 13

G Thorpe not out 1

Extras (5b, 13lb, 4nb) 22

Total (for 4 wkts dec, 65 overs) 293

Fall: 79 (Vaughan), 194 (Butcher), 209 (Trescothick), 291 (Flintoff).

Bowling: I Butler 6 overs 0 maidens 32 runs 0 wickets, C Drum 16-2-77-1 (3nb), D Vettori 24-1-91-3 (1nb), N Astle 9-4-18-0, C Martin 7-1-40-0, C McMillan 3-0-17-0.

New Zealand

First innings 218

Second innings

M Richardson c Thorpe b Giles 4

M Horne not out 21

L Vincent not out 0

Extras (1b, 2nb) 3

Total (for 1 wkt, 16 overs) 28

Fall: 28 (Richardson).

Bowling: A Caddick 7-3-11-0 (1nb), M Hoggard 3-1-9-0, A Giles 4-2-2-1, A Flintoff 2-1-5-0 (1nb).

- NZPA