England stick to their task

5 March 2008 | By Justin Goulding

Ryan Sidebottom enjoys the wicket of Brendon McCullum late in the day © Getty Images

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England were rewarded for their perseverance as New Zealand were kept in check on the opening day of the first Test in Hamilton.

Having lost the toss and been asked to bowl on the most unresponsive of pitches at Seddon Park, England stuck manfully to their task to restrict the hosts to 282 for six.

Though the conditions and the obdurate Jamie How conspired against them, England could claim bragging rights at the close of play thanks to a hugely disciplined bowling display and some outstanding catching.

Jamie How fell eight short of a maiden Test hundred, Brendon McCullum made 51 at almost a run a ball and Ross Taylor will resume on 54 on day two.

But England’s bowlers were comfortably the most impressive performers on a day which showcased their immense spirit - and considerable skill.

Ryan Sidebottom removed McCullum in the penultimate over of the day to end the day with superb figures of 2-39, while the remaining four wickets were shared between the remainder of the attack.

Progress was hardly rapid at any stage of the New Zealand innings, but especially early on.

The first boundary did not arrive until the eighth over, when How top-edged a hook off Matthew Hoggard to fine leg, although Matthew Bell and How struck successive fours as the placid nature of the pitch became increasingly apparent.

Jamie How pulls in front of square on the way to 92 at Seddon Park © Getty Images

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England were not helped by an injury to Ian Bell, who, taking evasive action, was struck on his right hand at short leg as his namesake pulled a short delivery from Sidebottom.

The fielder collapsed immediately and left the field in obvious pain - he spent the remainder of the day with his arm in a sling - but England’s worst fears were allayed when an x-ray showed nothing more than severe bruising.

The tourists’ spirits were lifted by the departure of Bell in the 14th over, Steve Harmison’s second after coming on first change.

A full-length delivery outside off stump drew the batsman into the drive, he sliced the ball to gully and Alastair Cook took a sharp catch at head height.

That was England’s solitary success during a testing morning session, but they were rewarded for their continued application during a disciplined post-lunch spell.

The wicket of Stephen Fleming for 41 was their prize, although it took a sensational one-handed catch from Cook, diving to his right at gully as the left-hander cut Sidebottom powerfully, to end his ominous stay.

How continued unperturbed - he registered a 120-ball half-century that contained six fours, having long since past his previous best of 37 - despite seeing Mathew Sinclair superbly caught and bowled by a tumbling Paul Collingwood as he pushed forward.

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How and Taylor frustrated England until tea, only to be separated within three overs of the resumption when the former edged a delivery from the excellent Monty Panesar that pitched on off stump and left him. Collingwood took another excellent catch low to his left at slip.

Jacob Oram received precious few loose deliveries before a lazy waft at Hoggard found a diving Cook at backward point, leaving New Zealand wobbling on 191 for five.

However, McCullum and Taylor added 86 for the sixth wicket in 19 overs, comfortably the most aggressive and entertaining partnership of the innings.

Predictably for a player who had smashed 170 off just 108 balls on domestic duty for Otago this week, McCullum was the catalyst behind New Zealand’s fightback, sweeping Panesar for six before slashing Hoggard over the third man fence.

The more circumspect Taylor reached his half-century, which occupied 118 balls, shortly after McCullum drove Hoggard on the up through cover to go to 50.

McCullum struck five fours in his 51-ball innings, which ended when he chased a wide, almost yorker-length delivery from Sidebottom and provided debutant wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose with his first catch in Test cricket.

That such a wayward delivery was a rarity reflected the quality of Sidebottom's - and England’s - performance.