McCullum fireworks dent good day for England in first Test
Thursday, 15 May 2008 21:03
James Anderson was the pick of the England bowlers
New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum smashed a quick-fire 97 to keep his side in the first Test match against England at Lords today.
The tourists were struggling on 109/5 at tea as England's bowlers took advantage of favourable bowling conditions at Lords on a day when rain meant only 52 overs of play were possible. But McCullum's heroics saw the Kiwis end the day on 208/6.
Seamers James Anderson and Staurt Broad were the most impressive of England's bowlers as Anderson finished the day with figures of 3/42 while Broad took two wickets for 70 runs.
The players had to wait until 1320 BST time to get on the field of play as Michael Vaughan won the toss and unsurprisingly decided to bowl first in cloudy conditions.
His decision paid of almost immediately as Anderson got debutant Aaron Redmond out for a duck as he reached for a ball outside his off-stump and edged to Alastair Cook at third slip who took a good catch.
Anderson should have had a wicket in the next over after he had James Marshall (7) caught behind, but umpire Simon Taufel decided that the fast bowler had overstepped the bowling crease.
But the Lancashire star didn't have to wait long to claim his second wicket as Jamie How nicked behind to Tim Ambrose off the bowling of Anderson.
Ross Taylor came in and raced to 19 as he tried to blast the ball to all parts of the ground. But his attacking display was his undoing as he mis-hooked Broad and the ball was caught by Paul Collingwood in the slip region.
New Zealand lost two further quick wickets as Marshall (24) was caught at slip but Andrew Strauss off the bowling of Broad and then Anderson uprooted Daniel Flynn's leg-stump.
England's hopes of quickly cleaning up the New Zealand tale was banished by McCullum. The wicket-keeper struck 13 fours and two huge sixes in a run-a-ball 97 which almost turned the game in New Zealand's favour.
But England reclaimed the upper hand by the end of the day's play as Monty Panesar managed to bowl McCullum of his pads. Jacob Oram (23) and captain Daniel Vettori (5) were the unbeaten batsmen for New Zealand.