We had a shout - Vaughan

Daniel Fynn helps Jacob Oram celebrate his fine hundred © Getty Images

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England captain Michael Vaughan claimed he could not fault his bowlers after New Zealand survived the occasional nervy moment to hold out for a draw in the first npower Test at Lord’s.

The tourists resumed the final day two runs behind with all second-innings wickets intact, and England saw a glimmer of hope with the Kiwis 120 for four.

That was the point at which giant Jacob Oram walked out to replace Brendon McCullum, who was forced to retire hurt after being struck below the left elbow by a rising delivery from Stuart Broad.

However, Oram’s superb 101 and debutant Daniel Flynn’s dogged unbeaten 29 carried New Zealand to 269 for six - a lead of 227 - before bad light brought play to a premature close shortly after 5pm.

“We did have a shout,” said Vaughan. “We bowled very well today and created opportunities. The ball either went wide or fast and we dropped a couple.

“To win on the day like we were given today we had to take all our chances and something special was going to have to happen. We just didn’t do that.

“Full credit to Jacob Oram and Daniel Flynn for the way they played - they made it difficult for us and it just proves this series will be a tough one.”

Allied to Oram’s 120-ball hundred, New Zealand were further boosted when McCullum returned from undergoing an X-ray to continue his innings.

He was out shortly before the sides shook hands on a match shorn of 155 overs by the wet weather and poor visibility.

“There seems to be a lot of bad light and early-season weather at Lord’s because I don’t think the pitch is that flat that in five days of cricket you will get a draw,” said Vaughan.

Ian Bell dives in vain to catch Flynn, whose gritty unbeaten 29 helped stave off the threat of defeat © Getty Images

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“It is certainly a good cricket pitch - there is pace, a bit of bounce, a bit of movement and also a bit of spin.

“Certainly we would have liked more cricket as you can’t force results in Test matches losing that many overs.”

England have added Hampshire seamer Chris Tremlett to the party that heads for Old Trafford for the second Test, beginning on Friday, meaning the centrally-contracted Steve Harmison is once again overlooked.

Tremlett, who has three caps, will first have to prove his fitness in a one-day match for his county against Worcestershire tomorrow after a recent back spasm.

“We believe he deserves his opportunity,” explained Vaughan. “He bowled well for us last year, he picked up an injury in New Zealand when he looked like he might stay on in the Test squad and Harmy (Steve Harmison) needs to bowl a bit more for Durham and get a couple of five-wicket hauls.”

Oram and McCullum both fell to the second new ball and that will have given Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson further confidence ahead of the Manchester match, according to Vaughan.

“Picking up that late wicket is great for us,” Vaughan added, referring to McCullum’s dismissal.

“He is a very aggressive batsman, has a good eye and times the ball nicely - but we always feel we will create an opportunity.”

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, named man of the match for his first-innings 48 and figures of 5-69, attempted to quell that opportunity by preventing McCullum’s return after tea.

Dark clouds loom menacingly over Lord's on the final day of a game in which 155 overs were lost

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“We were very concerned because he is a pretty integral part of our team,” Vettori said, of the blow which left two bumps below the left elbow.

“He is also a pretty tough guy as well, so for him to come off the field he must have been in discomfort.

“You saw how brave he is; we didn’t really want him to bat but he wanted to get back out there as soon as he could.”

Vettori also paid tribute to Oram, reckoning his importance to New Zealand mirrors that of Andrew Flintoff’s to England.

“He’s first picked in our team,” Vettori said. “Whenever we don’t have him in the side through injury we have to decide whether to pick a batter or a bowler.

“Everyone saw how well he bowled in the first innings. He’s been bowling exceptionally well for a long time.

“His batting might not have been as good as he would have liked but he came out and played his natural game. There weren’t too many worries for him, and when he plays like that he is as good as anyone.

“The overs were slowly declining when he came in and that meant we were in pretty good stead.

“The way Jacob played with aggressive intent took the likelihood of any result completely out of play.”