Michael Vaughan finally won the toss. All the experts agreed the track was stuffed with runs. What an opportunity to pile the pressure on the Kiwis at the start of the third, and deciding, Test in Napier.
Half an hour later England were 4-3.
Vaughan, Cook and Strauss back in the pavilion for next to nothing and a dream debut for 19 year old New Zealander Tim Southee. Bell struggled for a while looking horribly out of touch before he too fell, 36-4. And it still looked a batsman’s dream out there.
Enter Kevin Pietersen, settling in and finally playing with some of his old bravado to finish with a magnificent 129. He got support from Collingwood (30) and Broad, who finished with an assured 42 not out. England closed on 240-7. It could have been so much worse.
Congratulations to Southee, who finished with 3-46 from 21 overs of quality pace and swing. He looks like quite a find – why didn’t he play in Wellington?
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