Missed chances stall England

Ryan Sidebottom removes Ross Taylor, the second of his three viital wickets © Getty Images

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England edged closer towards victory over New Zealand in the second Test despite missing a host of chances in the field.

Chasing an improbable 438 to win after wrapping up the England innings, New Zealand were 242 for six when the second of two interruptions for bad light brought play to a close on the fourth day in Wellington.

Ryan Sidebottom had Jacob Oram caught at gully for 30 with the penultimate ball of the day to give the tourists a welcome fillip after a testing second half to the evening session, and they head into the final day expecting to seal a convincing triumph.

That New Zealand retain even the slightest hope of achieving the highest fourth-innings run-chase in Test history owes much to the presence of Brendon McCullum - he is unbeaten on 43 - but more to England’s profligacy in the field.

They dropped five catches and missed a run-out and a stumping during a far from polished performance in the field that contrasted markedly with their near immaculate display in Hamilton last week.

Mathew Sinclair was put down twice before falling for 39 and Ross Taylor was reprieved by Kevin Pietersen as he went to a 65-ball fifty, Stephen Fleming and Matthew Bell having been let off either side of lunch.

Fleming was almost run out, too, and Tim Ambrose fluffed a stumping chance that would have accounted for Oram as he and McCullum embarked on a troublesome 69-run stand for the sixth wicket that was ended only by the new ball.

Stuart Broad celebrates removing Stephen Fleming after lunch © Getty Images

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Sidebottom’s incursion in his first over back not only served as a reality check to New Zealand fans whose minds had drifted towards an implausible triumph, but gave him a deserved third wicket for a typically wholehearted effort with the ball.

There were two victims in an over for the impressive Stuart Broad, while James Anderson - passed fit to bowl despite turning an ankle after play on day three - also made it into the wickets column on a trying day for the England attack.

Earlier, England added 16 runs to their overnight total of 277 for nine before Monty Panesar edged Chris Martin to Taylor at second slip, ending an innings encompassing three days.

New Zealand began their chase knowing West Indies’ pursuit of 418 against Australia in Antigua in 2003 is the most any side has made to win in the last innings to win a Test - and their target appeared all the more daunting when Jamie How fell in the seventh over, caught by Ian Bell at short leg via bat and pad after being squared up by a Sidebottom delivery that swung back in.

Fleming, on 10, was fortunate to see an edge off Paul Collingwood’s first ball put down by Ambrose, standing up, and Matthew Bell had made 27 when an edge to second slip off Broad was spilled by Collingwood at waist height.

Bell’s tortuous innings of 29, which occupied 96 deliveries, was eventually ended by Broad, who induced an edge that was pouched by a diving Ambrose, the first of two wickets in five balls.

Ross Taylor looks on as Kevin Pietersen reprieves him at mid-off © Getty Images

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Michael Vaughan, running in from cover as Sinclair tried to pinch a single, missed with a shy at the stumps that would have seen the back of Fleming, but it did not prove costly as the former captain fell for 31 next ball, inexplicably shouldering arms to Broad to end his final Test innings on his home ground.

England put down three catches in as many overs as tea approached, Ambrose spilling a devilishly difficult chance as Sinclair aimed to cut Monty Panesar, Alastair Cook failing to grasp a marginally easier effort low to his left at gully off Sidebottom, and Pietersen grassing a skier at mid-off as Taylor advanced to Panesar.

At least Ian Bell made no mistake in the second over after tea, holding on to a lazy back-foot forcing shot at cover as Sinclair chased a loosener from Anderson.

Taylor was trapped lbw for 55 aiming across the line to Sidebottom to leave New Zealand wobbling on 173 for five, but Oram, encouraged by the sight of McCullum dispatching Panesar over midwicket and long-off for six, overcame a nervous start to free his arms.

They kept England at bay for more than 24 overs, Ambrose having failed early in their alliance to gather the ball as Oram, on 14, came down the track to Panesar and missed with a defensive stroke.

The players returned after a brief stoppage for bad light, and there was just enough time before the gloom enveloped the Basin Reserve once more for Sidebottom to make one more telling contribution.