Two crucial wickets to part-time spinner Kane Williamson put New Zealand firmly in charge of the final Test on Monday as England, facing a world record target of 481, slumped to 90 for four at stumps. On a day that belonged to the Black Caps, with recalled batsman Peter Fulton blasting his second century of the match, England made a disastrous start to the daunting run chase on a turning Eden Park wicket.
Black Caps opener Peter Fulton celebrated his recall from the cricket scrapheap on Monday by becoming only the fourth New Zealander to score back-to-back centuries in a Test. The at times ungainly opener belted the prime of English bowling to all corners of the ground in a rollicking second innings 110 to give New Zealand a stranglehold on the third and deciding Test in the series.
By the close of play England were batting for survival with any hope of an unlikely victory long gone, and even a draw looking improbable. For England to win, they would have to post the most successful fourth-innings chase in Test history. The current record is held by the West Indies, who scored 418 for seven to beat Australia at Antigua in 2003.
But that never looked likely as Tim Southee claimed Nick Compton for two in the second over and Jonathan Trott followed for 37, caught behind off Neil Wagner, to have England at 60 for two. Captain Alastair Cook, who was dropped on one, set about consolidating the innings with Ian Bell as they put on 30 runs in 25 overs.
Williamson had the remarkable figures of two for five off 6.1 overs. Bell, intent on preservation, was not out eight after facing 89 balls in nearly two hours - in sharp contrast to the lusty batting spree earlier by Fulton and Brendon McCullum who mocked the England attack.
They belted 117 runs in a 101-ball partnership as they raced to put New Zealand into an imposing position before declaring at 241 for six midway through the afternoon session. Fulton, who toiled hard to resurrect New Zealand's second innings after they were three down for eight, brought up his boundary-laden 110 in 165 balls. In the first innings, when New Zealand were intent on building a competitive total, he made 136 off 346 balls.
After scoring 55, 1 and 45 early in the first two England Tests, the 34-year-old Fulton has now raised his average to 33.05, from the mediocre 20.93 when he was cast into the wilderness four years ago after 10 Tests. New Zealand resumed the day at 35 for three and cracked 141 off 26 overs in the morning session. Dean Brownlie, who had done a sterling job with Fulton to resurrect the innings after New Zealand were eight for three on Sunday, was the only wicket to fall before lunch.
McCullum was 67 not out in an innings that included three sixes and five fours when he declared with the dismissal of BJ Watling for 18. For England, Monty Panesar took two wickets, although his 9.2 overs conceded 53 runs while Broad took two for 54 off 17 overs. The first two Tests in the three-match series were rain-affected draws.
SCOREBOARD New Zealand, first innings 443 (P. Fulton 136, K. Williamson 91, T. Southee 44; Finn 6-125, Anderson 2-79) England, first innings 204 (M. Prior 73, J. Root 45; T. Boult 6-68, T. Southee 3-44) New Zealand, second innings (35 for three overnight)
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P. Fulton c Root b Finn 110
H. Rutherford c Bell b Broad 0
K. Williamson b Anderson 1
R. Taylor lbw Broad 3
D. Brownlie c Bell b Panesar 28
B. McCullum not out 67
B. Watling c Compton b Panesar 18
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Extras: (b 4, lb 10) 9
Total: (6 wkts dec; 57.2 overs) 241
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Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-5, 3-8, 4-82, 5-199, 6-241
Bowling: Anderson 17-6-59-1, Broad 17-5-54-2, Finn 13-1-57-1, Panesar 9.2-4-53-2, Trott 1-0-4-0.
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England, second innings
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A. Cook c Brownlie b Williamson 43
N. Compton c Watling b Southee 2
J. Trott c Watling b Wagner 37
I. Bell not out 8
S. Finn c Southee b Williamson 0
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Extras 0
Total: (4 wkts; 52.1 overs) 90
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