Old Trafford factor boosts England

Michael Vaughan enjoys a light moment during training on Thursday © Getty Images

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England are aiming to continue their fine run of form at Old Trafford when they take on New Zealand in the second npower Test.

Unbeaten at Old Trafford in five Tests since losing on the final day to Pakistan in 2001, the hosts have every reason to relish a return to Manchester as they attempt to take the lead in the three-match series following the opening draw at Lord’s.

England’s batsmen will be looking to post a first innings total in excess of 400 for the first time in the last 10 Test matches while the opposition have surpassed 400 five times during the same period.

It is a record captain Michael Vaughan knows they must improve if they are to overcome a determined New Zealand line-up and, more importantly, when they face the bigger challenge of a four-Test series against an in-form South Africa.

“We’ve had some good results here over the last few years and I’m hoping we can produce another performance like we have done over the last few years,” he said.

“They’re all good players and we talk about form and people not getting runs all the time, but I fully expect the guys to go out on a good wicket here and hopefully go on and get big scores.”

Vaughan explained: “We really do try and get two players to a hundred in the first innings to get the big score, but more often than not one of us has got a hundred and we’ve always fallen short of the 400 or 450 target that we like to achieve.

“I think this wicket is a perfect opportunity for us to get those first innings runs. We’re all playing well at times but not playing well as a collective unit.

“The most important thing is winning games of cricket. To do that you have to get 400 on the board consistently and that’s what our aim is for the whole summer, to put New Zealand under pressure and later in the summer to put South Africa under pressure.”

Despite every member of England’s current top seven has scored a century Vaughan denied that any of the batting order take their places for granted.

He insisted: “I certainly don’t think it’s cosy. I see the way the lads train and I don’t see any complacency in any of the batsmen.

Monty Panesar and Kevin Pietersen celebrate a goal in a pre-match kick-about at Old Trafford

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“Sometimes you can look too deeply into it and try too hard. What the lads have to do is go out and just play and express their talents and react to the situation and if they do that and they can play the moment, big scores will be around the corner.”

He stressed: “I don’t think anyone’s place is guaranteed with the strength in depth that we have. This is the fourth game on the trot I’ve been able to announce the same team and I’ve been involved in an England team a few years ago that was very consistent in the 11 players we picked over a period of time.

“That achieved great results and as much as we want to get 400 and 450 totals it’s about winning as a team.

“The dressing room feels very comfortable in each other’s company at the moment, we’re getting to know each other a lot better in terms of when people succeed and when they fail how they act.

“That’s very important if you want to go on and be a really good team. We really do want to start getting consistent scores on the board in the first innings and hopefully this week it’ll be the start of that.”

This will be Old Trafford’s last as a Test venue for at least the next three years despite England’s recent success at the ground after Cardiff won the bidding race for next year’s Ashes series.

Having enjoyed a good run of results in Manchester, the players will hope to tap into the euphoria in the Old Trafford area surrounding Manchester United’s Champions League triumph.

“I love playing here,” added Vaughan. “It’s a place where I’ve had a lot of success at both for England and Yorkshire but it’s not my job to pick the grounds that we play at.

“The record we have here is excellent. We always have a good game of cricket here, the crowd are always good and it’s going to be even better this week now Manchester United have gone and won the European Cup.

“We always enjoy playing here but it’s not down to the players where we play, we just show up and play where we’re told to go and play.”

England have kept faith with the same line-up who battled to a draw at Lord’s despite the inclusion of Hampshire seamer Chris Tremlett in their 12-man squad.