Big hand for Cook

Paul Collingwood and Alastair Cook celebrate Cook's catch to remove Stephen Fleming

View photo story

Watch Peter Moores in the close of play press conference free on ECBtv

Alastair Cook spearheaded an impressive catching and bowling display by England which allowed them to claim a narrow advantage at the end of the first day of their Test series against New Zealand.

The Essex left-hander is not renowned for his fielding prowess, but claimed a hat-trick of superb catches as the tourists restricted New Zealand to 282 for six on a good batting wicket.

Cook’s three catches were his reward for endless fielding and catching drills in practice run by coach Peter Moores and his backroom staff, and ensured the tourists exploited the few opportunities available during a tough opening day.

He set the tone with a sharp catch above his head to remove opener Matthew Bell, who had driven wildly at seamer Steve Harmison, and took an even better one diving to his right to remove the dangerous Stephen Fleming.

Another leaping effort at backward point earned Matthew Hoggard his first wicket when dangerous all-rounder Jacob Oram sliced a forcing shot off the back foot, and with Ryan Sidebottom striking in the penultimate over of the day to dismiss the explosive Brendon McCullum, England were satisfied with their opening-day efforts at Seddon Park.

“If anyone has watched the lads train, they’ve worked extremely hard on their catching and it’s nice for them to get their reward, especially Cook because he’s been working very hard on it,” enthused Moores.

“I’ve said all along that to improve skills like that you don’t do them overnight. It’s a long-term thing and you have to keep doing it to get better, and I don’t think you’ll see much better than Cook’s second catch at gully because Fleming really middled it and it went really quickly.”

Having lost the toss, England seemed destined for a long day in the field when New Zealand began their innings on a flat-looking pitch - a view which was underlined when Ian Bell was taken to hospital early in the day after suffering a nasty blow to his right hand at short leg.

But by the time news filtered back to the team that Bell had only suffered bad bruising, they had already claimed a bonus wicket when Harmison claimed opener Bell, driving loosely to gully.

Ten overs after the interval Fleming, facing his former Nottinghamshire team-mate Sidebottom for the first time in international competition, flashed at a wide delivery and found the safe hands of Cook.

All-rounder Collingwood dives to claim the catch from his own bowling © Getty Images

Buy this photo

They followed that with another smart catch to dismiss Mathew Sinclair, who was superbly held by Paul Collingwood in his delivery stride after the New Zealand number four drove back down the pitch.

Collingwood claimed another difficult chance at slip to end the resistance of opener Jamie How, who had battled for 251 minutes to reach 92 but edged a turning delivery from Monty Panesar.

Cook completed his haul of catches shortly after tea when Oram again drove loosely and he dived to his left to unite attacking duo Ross Taylor and McCullum at the crease.

“Cook is a deliberate learner and he will learn progressively, so he’ll challenge himself to get better and better,” said Moores. “Slowly but surely, he’s getting better and better and he does have strong hands, which is important.

“A lot of the good catchers don’t move much when they catch the ball, but he’s been catching well in practice and he’s taken that into the game.”

Just as England appeared set to dominate, McCullum got into his full stride and began illuminating the final session with the type of strokeplay which lit up the recent one-day series success over England.

Taylor, by no means a slow scorer himself, was on 20 when McCullum arrived at the crease but was quickly passed as New Zealand’s aggressive wicketkeeper raced to his half-century off only 53 balls, which included five fours and two sixes.

But with only 11 balls remaining, McCullum chased a wider delivery from Sidebottom with the new ball, edged behind to debutant wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, and gave England fresh impetus going into the second day.