Barmy Army Fight On
England picked up where they left off in the second day and in the 36th over Michael Vaughan reached his half century in 92 balls. Vettori brought himself back into the attack 6 overs later. Soon the partnership was worth 150 and Vaughan and Cook seemed unstoppable. Or so it seemed. 4 overs efore the end of the session Vettori bowled a rare ball away from the stumps, Cook tried to smash it to the boundary with a square drive, but only succeeded in nicking an edge, and McCullum behind the stumps was determined to get his man.
Daniel Vettori receives praise from his team-mates after taking the vital wicket of Alistair Cook
Cook gone for 93 of 166 balls. So England couldn’t go two sessions in a row without a wicket. But ending the morning session on day 3 165 runs ahead and 8 wickets in front can’t be bad for the 3 Lions.
England kept their good run of form for this match, Bell got in quickly and three overs in Michael Vaughan reached his century, a wonderful innings of 182 balls means Michael Vaughan has lead from the front.
Michael Vaughan scored a wonderful century to keep England in the driving seat
In the 66th over the partnership reached 50. Bell kept going at a high rate of scoring and reached his 50 in the 77th over, talking only 56 balls. Two overs later the partnership was worth 100 and England reached the Tea break on Day 3 without a wicket falling, now 326-2 with two hours left in the day.
England kept going in the evening session and Bell and Vaughan went past their 150 partnership in the 93rd over. An over later Vaughan reached his personal milestone of 150 and in doing so cemented is place in the England side for another summer. Bell went soon after though, trapped lbw by Craig McMillan for 86. In came Mark Ramprakash and he started to get in and play shots. The pair took England past the 100 over mark But Ramprakash and Vaughan ended their partnership in the 111th over when Shane Bond had Vaughan caught by Chris Martin.
Shane Bond took the massive wicket of Vaughan, the Manchester Man making 161 before going to a catch from Chris Martin
It was Bond’s first wicket after 45 overs bowling and Vaughan ended on an excellent 161 runs off 324 balls.
But England couldn’t see the day off without conceding a wicket. Ramprakash got out much the same way as Vaughan, he tried to glance a delivery by McMillan onto the onside for four, but couldn’t recognise the Christchurch man’s slower delivery and only succeeded in picking out Martin who took his second catch at short fine leg, out for 40 off 68 balls.
England finished the session well, but the Evening Session was much more balanced and New Zealand will feel much better at the end of day 3 with three more wickets gone. Mark Ramprakash will not be happy after giving his wicket away so late in the day. But England will hope Kevin Pietersen and Tim Ambrose will take England out of New Zealand’s reach in this second test.
England finish Day 3 on 425-5
Scorecard