Slow going for England

Kevin Pietersen defends stoutly as England inch along during the third day © Getty Images

Buy this photo

View photo story

Watch Kevin Pietersen and the end of play report from day three of the Test on ECBtv

New Zealand applied the brakes to the England innings as they crept past the follow-on target on the third day of the opening Test at Seddon Park.

The tourists resumed in the morning on 87 for two, replying to New Zealand’s total of 470, but scored just 199 runs at barely two an over during an attritional day.

They picked up the pace towards the end of the evening session as an otherwise faultless Black Caps attack began to tire under the Hamilton sun, Paul Collingwood and Tim Ambrose eventually helping England past the immediate target of 271 before they closed on 286 for six.

That they remain 184 in arrears owed much to an ultra-cautious approach with the bat for large parts, as well as the phenomenal discipline of the New Zealand bowlers.

Though Michael Vaughan batted as fluenty as anyone in converting his overnight 44 into 63, he, like Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen after him, found scoring opportunities severely restricted on a surface containing neither pace nor bounce.

Strauss’ 43 occupied 118 balls and Pietersen faced an unheard of 131 deliveries for his 42, but Collingwood and Ambrose’s late flurry provided some light relief to those who remained attentive until the end.

Collingwood was unbeaten on 41 at the close and debutant Ambrose, who took 18 balls to get off the mark, was on 23. They will resume on the fourth day bidding to extend their partnership for the seventh wicket, which is currently worth 43.

Jeetan Patel enjoys the wicket of Michael Vaughan, caught behind for 63

Buy this photo

The afternoon session was especially trying for spectators, with just 56 runs scored in 31 overs as spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel, who bowled 54 overs between them, gave precious little away.

At one stage Pietersen and Collingwood went 29 balls without scoring - a single off Pietersen’s legs to break the drought drew cheers from the crowd - but the most encouraging aspect of England’s performance was the application showed by all the frontline batsmen.

By comparison, Vaughan and Strauss looked at ease earlier in the day, the captain reaching his half-century off 127 balls.

While Strauss, who resumed on one, collected boundaries off the back foot off Chris Martin and Vettori, Vaughan made light of a sluggish surface by straight-driving Kyle Mills imperiously.

However, he perished when well set following Patel’s introduction into the attack, caught behind pushing forward at a delivery that did not turn as much as he expected.

Pietersen’s flat six over long-off off his third ball - at Patel’s expense - was a rare moment of aggression, and England’s attacking intent almost disappeared completely when Strauss was bowled by Vettori three balls after lunch.

The outstanding Vettori, who varied his pace intelligently all day, tossed one up outside off stump, the ball gripped in the footholes and jagged between bat and pad as an off-balance Strauss attempted to drive.

Debutant Tim Ambrose helps England avoid the follow-on en route to a doughty 23 not out

Bell spent almost an hour and a half over his 25, dispatching Martin for two leg-side boundaries to take England past the 200 mark before he was bowled through the gate by a superb delivery from Mills that nipped back as much as any has in three days.

Survival was very much the watchword as Pietersen and Collingwood survived until tea, the former ending an exceptionally tense session with a pull off Martin and a flashing cut off Vettori.

Collingwood took 25 balls to open his account, surviving a sharp chance at silly point before he had scored.

He was also reprieved by Brendon McCullum on eight, the wicketkeeper missing a tough stumping chance after Patel lured Collingwood out of his crease with a delivery that turned and bounced.

Having cut the same bowler for two boundaries in an over, Collingwood saw Pietersen succumb to Vettori, the fourth batsman to perish playing a defensive stroke.

He advanced purposefully down the pitch, but the ball looped up off pad and then bat as he lunged forward, providing Vettori with a diving catch to his left.

Tim Ambrose showed commendable patience before a tickle to fine leg brought him his first run in Test cricket, and he enhanced his reputation further by helping Collingwood banish the threat of the follow-on.