The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Bowlers call the shots scoreboard

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 26, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Bowlers call the shots scoreboard

Ted Corbett

MANCHESTER: England at its worst was bowled out for 202 on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand before Monty Panesar at his best spun out five of the top Kiwi batsmen before tea — including the century man Ross Taylor, his 100th Test victim — and restored the hope of a dramatic England win.

It lost six wickets for only 50 runs but there are worst statistics to come in 70 minutes to the endlessly subtle variations of Daniel Vettori’s left arm spin and the relentless pace of Ian O’Brien and Kyle Mills. Vettori finished with five for 66, his second successive five-wicket haul after his man-of-the-match performance at Lord’s.

From the speed with which he gathered his men round him as the final England wicket fell you could see his message had to be: “Pay attention, lads, because we are in a position to win this one.”

What is wrong with this England side? They have been allowed to settle down in a team unchanged in the last four Tests, their top six batsmen all average above 40 and yet they unravelled in the face of bowling that had no more than average help from the pitch.

Poor batting

Kevin Pietersen, that dashing run-gatherer turned timid batsman, was caught at slip off Vettori at 11.26 a.m. and by 12.36 p.m. — just 16 overs later — England was all out. Ian Bell edged a second catch to Ross Taylor from O’Brien, Vettori mopped up Paul Collingwood and Tim Ambrose and after a series of bold shots from Stuart Broad, who at least looked like a Test cricketer in his 50-ball innings, Mills had the last two wickets.

Is this the side tipped to wrest the Ashes from the Australians next summer? That is difficult to see a year ahead of the series even though there are optimistic reports of the progress made by Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones, the reverse swing architects of the 2005 Ashes victory.

Panesar strikes

Aaron Redmond and Jamie How put on 28 before Collingwood caught Redmond at slip off James Anderson.

No side has ever lost at this ground after making 380 in their first innings as New Zealand did.

How went three overs later but as Taylor and Marshall took the lead beyond 260, England was reduced to a series of wild appeals led by the exuberant Panesar.

His enthusiasm paid off when he trapped both Marshall and Brendon McCullum lbw in four balls with New Zealand 264 ahead.

The absence of the injured Daniel Flynn meant Vettori batted at No.6. With the highest score to win at Old Trafford was England’s 231 for three against West Indies in 2005, this match seems to be headed for an exciting finish.

Jacob Oram, injured in the morning warm-up, and Kyle Mills, gave New Zealand a lead of 278 at tea but at least Panesar had done a little to restore England’s badly dented pride.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport