Vaughan: England can recover

Michael Vaughan is focussed on winning the Test series in New Zealand © Getty Images

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Captain Michael Vaughan believes England can still win the three-match Test series against New Zealand despite their 189-run defeat in the opening contest.

Daniel Vettori’s first-session declaration set the tourists a target of 300 to win in a minimum of 81 overs but they slumped to 110 all out shortly after 3.30pm local time.

England now move on to Wellington for the second Test which begins on Thursday at the Basin Reserve.

“We have two games to put it right,” insisted Vaughan. “We know where our destiny lies in this series now - we have to win two games of cricket.

“You always try to win every game. But we know exactly what we have to do now to win the series, and that’s to play positive cricket and have a go and try and win the next two games.”

England’s disappointing collapse came just a day after Ryan Sidebottom’s hat-trick seemed to have given them a chance of an unexpected victory.

Both sides began the final day at Seddon Park harbouring hopes of winning, with New Zealand resuming 269 runs ahead on 147 for eight.

They quickly declared on 177 for nine to leave the tourists chasing a challenging but not impossible target of 300 off a minimum of 81 overs.

Their challenge was over before it really began, Kyle Mills claiming four wickets for two runs in only 25 balls, and immediately after lunch England lost a further three wickets in nine balls once Chris Martin found some reverse-swing.

Ian Bell clips the ball off his legs through midwicket on his way to 54 © Getty Images

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Only an unbeaten 54 from Ian Bell, who shared a 33-run stand with last man Monty Panesar, provided some resistance but Vaughan insists the only thing lacking in the camp is a bit of confidence.

“Of course, it affects the team - because we’ve lost a game of cricket - and it’s mine and Peter’s job to make sure the players are in the right state of mind going into Thursday’s game now,” he said.

“I’m captaining differently now to when I started, because I’m more experienced, but I’m not captaining any different to the way I was in 2005.

“We’re just struggling a bit as a team, and that can happen. But there’s only one group of players that can put that right, and that’s the group that’s in the dressing room now.”

Vaughan added: “The good thing is we do start again in three days’ time.”

“We’re back on the horse and we can get back out there - but we have to make sure we go out and play and express ourselves in a better fashion than we have done in this game.

“Sometimes when you’ve had defeats like this and you’ve got two weeks it can really dwell on your mind.

“We’ll arrive in Wellington and start the game on Thursday, so it can be a good thing - but we have to make it a good thing. We have to try and get on top of New Zealand on Thursday morning and stay on top.”

For New Zealand - who exceeded expectations by winning the one-day series, having been hammered in the two Twenty20 matches which preceded it - the victory was a major triumph and their first over meaningful opposition since Vettori took over as captain.

“It’s very satisfying, because they’re a good side,” said Vettori, who guided his side to a 2-0 home series win over Bangladesh last month.

“They’ve been up to number two in the world; they won the Ashes series and have put in some pretty good performances on the sub-continent.

“Our history is not great against them, but I know certainly from the New Zealand public that winning Tests against England seems to mean a lot more to them than winning Tests against Bangladesh.”