Taylor ton checks England

Ross Taylor pierces the off side as he races towards his maiden Test hundred at Seddon Park

Buy this photo

View photo story

Watch Ryan Sidebottom at the end of day press conference and report on ECBtv

Ross Taylor’s maiden Test century carried New Zealand into a dominant position on the second day of the first Test against England in Hamilton.

He hit a fine 120 in only his third Test outing, providing the cornerstone of a commanding total of 470 which featured an equally valuable 88 from Daniel Vettori.

They ended England’s hopes of restricting New Zealand to a manageable score, and Chris Martin took two wickets in as many overs late in the day to remove any doubt over where the balance of power lay.

He broke an opening partnership of 84 by having Alastair Cook taken at deep square-leg for 38, and removed nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard moments later as England stuttered to 87 for two by the close, trailing by 383.

The key figures for New Zealand, however, were Taylor and Vettori.

Taylor, 54 not out overnight, and Vettori, who resumed on four, shared a record seventh-wicket stand of 148 as England were kept waiting until well into the afternoon session for their first wicket of the day.

But after both succumbed to part-time bowlers, England made short work of the tail on a pitch which continued to offer negligible assistance.

The last three wickets fell for 19 runs, bringing to an end a testing time in the field and prompting the umpires to take an early tea.

Daniel Vettori, who fell 12 short of a century, adds 148 with Taylor © Getty Images

Buy this photo

Ryan Sidebottom’s figures of 4-90 were particularly impressive given the unhelpful conditions, while Paul Collingwood’s 2-24 represented the next best return by an England bowler.

As impressive as Taylor was - he played with an impeccably straight bat before he perished aiming an ugly swipe at Kevin Pietersen - the England attack, with the exception of Sidebottom, failed to match the standards shown on the opening day, when they restricted New Zealand to 282 for six.

They leaked 11 boundaries in the first 13 overs, with Taylor and Vettori punishing regular lapses in line and length on an unforgiving surface.

Taylor, whose game is based around a formidably solid defence, nevertheless drove and pulled with good effect to reach a 185-ball hundred containing 16 fours.

The century stand arrived not long after off just 163 deliveries, Vettori mixing late cuts with the occasional cross-batted stroke as England’s frustration grew.

He swatted Monty Panesar over mid-on to reach his fifty, off 100 balls, and he and Taylor surpassed New Zealand’s previous best for the seventh wicket against England - Dipak Patel and Chris Cairns’ stand of 117 at Christchurch in 1992 - in the same over the total breached 400.

Ryan Sidebottom bowls Chris Martin to finish with superb figures of 4-90 © Getty Images

Buy this photo

Panesar was also dispatched over long-on for six by Vettori, and it was left to occasional off-spinner Pietersen to make the breakthrough.

He did so with his second delivery, tossed up and tempting Taylor into an uncharacteristic slog across the line that took the top edge and provided Pietersen with a simple return catch.

A loose shot also brought about Vettori’s downfall, the left-hander steering a short, wide delivery from Collingwood to Andrew Strauss, a solitary wide slip, as he chased more runs in his favourite region behind point.

Jeetan Patel was caught at first slip driving loosely at Sidebottom, who was rewarded further for his perseverance when he uprooted Martin’s off stump with his next delivery.

Michael Vaughan and Cook were largely untroubled during a steady if unspectacular opening stand, both driving with confidence on a pitch showing few signs of wear.

Off-spinner Patel was introduced into the attack in the 13th over - he and Vettori can expect a heavy workload on day three - but it took Martin’s return for a second spell to separate the openers.

A short ball drew Cook into a pull, but he could do no more than top-edge it to deep square-leg, where substitute Nick Horsley took an excellent low catch running in.

Hoggard failed to complete nightwatchman duties when, playing back to Martin, he edged to a grateful Stephen Fleming at first slip, leaving Vaughan unbeaten on 44 and Strauss one not out at the close.