LONDON: Jacob Oram’s 101 secured a draw for New Zealand on the fifth and final day of the first Test against England at Lord’s here on Monday.
Oram’s fifth Test hundred, and first against England, was the centrepiece of New Zealand’s second innings 269 for six - 227 ahead. When Oram came to the crease, after wicket-keeper and leading batsman Brendon McCullum had retired hurt on 11, New Zealand were only 78 runs ahead at 120 for four. But by the time he was out, New Zealand had made the game ahead of the start of the second Test of this three-match series at Old Trafford on Friday. Oram, 55 not out at tea, sped through the 90s with three boundaries after England had taken the new ball with the tall left-hander on 89. He cut the first delivery with the new ball, from Ryan Sidebottom for four to go to 93, drove the left-arm quick down the ground to reach 97 and reached his hundred with a forcing shot through the offside against the same bowler.
But one ball after completing a 120-ball hundred with two sixes and 15 fours that got him onto the Lord’s honours board, he was bowled having dominated a stand of 132 with Daniel Flynn in which the Test debutant made just 22. There was still time for McCullum, who made a run-a-ball 97 in the first innings, to resume before he was caught behind for 24. Flynn finished on 29 not out with New Zealand captain, man-of-the-match for his first innings five for 69, unbeaten on nought. New Zealand resumed after lunch on 113 for three, just 71 runs ahead. And 16 balls later that became 115 for four when Jamie How, trying to turn fast bowler Stuart Broad legside, was well caught for 68 by Alastair Cook at third slip. Opener How, celebrating his 27th birthday on Monday, batted for over three hours facing 131 balls with nine fours for his second Test fifty. McCullum then had to retire hurt after a short ball from Broad hit his unprotected left forearm.
Fortunately for New Zealand an X-ray subsequently revealed McCullum had not suffered a break. Oram then pulled left-arm spinner Monty Panesar for the first six of the match before a square-cut boundary off fast bowler James Anderson saw the tall him to a 67-ball fifty. New Zealand started on Monday on 40 without loss, a deficit of two, with How unbeaten on 26 and Aaron Redmond, who’d avoided a pair on his Test debut, 14 not out. But only seven runs had been added when Redmond, pushing forward with an angled bat, edged Anderson straight to Andrew Strauss at first slip. And they were only 10 in front when, 17 balls later, James Marshall was lbw for nought to an inswinging delivery from Sidebottom, who’d taken four for 77 in New Zealand’s first innings 277. How, on 46, drove loosely at the last delivery of Broad’s first over on Monday only for Strauss to drop the head-high slip chance as the ball burst through his hands.
Vaughan’s decision to bring Monty Panesar into the attack was soon rewarded when, with his sixth ball on Monday, the left-arm spinner had Ross Taylor lbw to effectively leave New Zealand 57 for three. England, who were well placed at 148 for one after a first century opening stand between Strauss and Cook, had to settle for a modest first-innings lead of 42 after being bowled out for 319. Vaughan top-scored with 106, his 18th Test century also equalling the Lord’s Test record of six held by former England captain Graham Gooch. Although the pitch offered little turn, left-arm spinner Vettori took five or more wickets in a Test innings for the 14th time in his career. And when Vettori dismissed Vaughan to end the innings, he become only the second New Zealand cricketer after Sir Richard Hadlee to take 250 Test wickets. afp
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