Vettori worry for tourists

England all-rounder Ravi Bopara impressed for Essex

Alastair Cook proved his fitness and Daniel Vettori was left worried about his, in a tale of two finger injuries at Chelmsford.

New Zealand captain Vettori finished day two of the tour match against Essex in pain and doubt about the extent of a nasty cut to the forefinger of his bowling hand.

While he must ponder whether he should take part in a final warm-up match before the first npower Test at Lord’s, Essex and England opener Cook proved he can bat without discomfort from the right little finger he dislocated on Friday.

Cook’s reassurance was in contrast to the disquiet in the Kiwi camp about their captain and premier spinner, on a day when Ravi Bopara demonstrated his blistering form with a sixth successive half-century from as many attempts in all cricket this season.

Bopara’s 66 was the most significant contribution as the hosts replied to 355 all out with 251 for nine.

The most notable happening, though, came in innocuous circumstances when Vettori cut his finger backing up a throw at the stumps from his vice-captain Brendon McCullum shortly after tea.

The result was a hasty retreat and a second trip to hospital in as many days - after Cook’s precautionary x-ray - for prospective participants in this summer’s three-Test series.

Bopara, discarded by England after a run of low scores last winter but due to face these same opponents for the Lions this week, looked set to keep Essex in contention until his departure signalled the loss of three wickets in two overs for one run in late afternoon.

Play had begun with an Essex-best 6-57 for Ryan ten Doeschate, who ended a troublesome last-wicket stand between Michael Mason and Iain O’Brien when he struck with his first ball of a sunny morning to have the former lbw pushing forward.

Ryan ten Doeschate (middle) is congratulated by Essex

Then in what is effectively a bowl-off between Mason (4-59) and O’Brien (3-46) for a possible final place in the tourists’ attack at Lord’s, the former made the early running.

He first saw off Jason Gallian, pushing forward but pinned lbw on off stump, before he had Cook nibbling a catch behind to McCullum.

Bopara began with a pedigree on-drive for four off Mason from the first ball he received but had luck on his side when he inside-edged Jacob Oram just past his leg stump for another boundary.

There were some plays and misses, too, from both Bopara and Tom Westley as the Kiwi pace bowlers regularly found swing.

Yet a delivery which achieved no lateral movement finally did for Westley, Kyle Mills locating the edge from short of a length for a routine caught behind.

The passage of play which followed was out of keeping with all that came before and afterwards.

Bopara struck nine boundaries from 109 balls, and his captain Mark Pettini was equally fluent in a fourth-wicket stand of 69 in 15 overs.

But after Bopara picked out short cover with an aerial back-foot drive at O’Brien, ten Doeschate went for just a single to a bat-pad catch off Vettori.

Pettini then had his middle stump uprooted by some lethal reverse swing from O’Brien, and a near action replay five overs later did for James Middlebrook.

The hosts needed a significant rearguard, which appeared unlikely with James Foster gone soon after tea to an inglorious attempt to carve Mason’s inswing to leg - and resulting loss of off stump.

But that provided Alex Tudor with a chance to remind everyone of his finest hour - 99 not out against New Zealand in an Edgbaston Test nine years ago - and the ex-England fast bowler took his cue for some sensible batting.

Tudor was the senior partner in a half-century stand with Tony Palladino - which dragged Essex to within sight of only a double-figure deficit - but he fell nine short of his fifty to an athletic catch by wicketkeeper McCullum off Mason.