Sixth sense for relieved Vaughan

Michael Vaughan held an unsure batting effort together on the fourth day

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Michael Vaughan had another one of his premonitions before rewriting Test record books with a sixth hundred at Lord's.

Vaughan, 33, has a habit of scenting a three-figure score is around the corner and did so upon arrival for the first match of the npower series against New Zealand.

His 106 equalled Graham Gooch's record of Test hundreds at the headquarters of English cricket and helped his side establish a 42-run lead on first innings.

Vaughan's 18th international century also highlighted his ability to shrug off poor form when it counts - his seven innings for Yorkshire this summer had yielded just 135 runs.

"I had it on Monday when I came here," said Vaughan. "It seems very surreal that you get these feelings.

"You walk into the dressing room and see your name on the board five times and it gives you a huge lift that you've done it here before.

"People talk about form a lot and I felt in good form in terms of rhythm but not in terms of runs scored.

"I know some people find that very hard to understand but inside yourself is the most important thing.

"I felt very good this week and it was no surprise when I went into the middle I was very relaxed and knew it could happen.

"It's always nice coming to a ground where you have had so much success.

"As soon as you walk out it just feels like home, you've been there and done it before."

Vaughan had not even reached a half-century when New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori took two wickets in as many balls to leave England 208 for six.

But stands of 61 and 48 with Stuart Broad and Ryan Sidebottom led to him celebrating a century from 204 balls.

"I was very disciplined, certainly for the first 30 runs and from there on in I always felt there was a hundred for the taking unless I made a mistake and I didn't make one," Vaughan said.

Tim Ambrose's wicket was the second in two balls for Daniel Vettori and reduced England to 208 for six

Left-arm spinner Vettori became only the fourth Kiwi to take a five-wicket haul at Lord's when Vaughan was last out, caught at deep midwicket.

"We acknowledge he's a very good player," Vettori said. "I know there has been talk of some pressure on him but we sit back and always think of him as a very good cricketer.

"Anyone who has got that many runs and Test hundreds under their belts knows what they're doing.

"Everyone can go through a form slump and today he proved what a quality player he is.

"He held the innings together, batted with the top order and then manouevred the game around with the tail-end as well.

"That is the sign of a quality batsman, it didn't look like he panicked or worried about the hundred at any stage."

But despite his valiant efforts during nearly five hours at the crease, Vaughan accepts it will take something extraordinary to force a positive result from a match which has lost 153.2 overs to the weather.

“It’s going to take something special on the last day to force a victory but last day cricket can cause all sorts of funny things,” he stressed.

“We’ll have to get wickets in clusters to put them under pressure and hopefully we’ll get into a position where we can chase a total later in the day.”

Vettori, meanwhile, was more satisfied with the team effort than his personal success as the tourists closed two runs behind with all second-innings wickets intact.

"It's five-for but the thing about it is it came in a pleasing day's cricket," he said. "We played really well, most people predicted England to come out and dominate the day.

"For them to be only 40 in front when both teams batted in contrasting conditions is a good reward for us."