NZ consolidate after Ramprakash cameo

August 6: New Zealand consolidated their position in the third Test, scoring 128 for two wickets in reply to England's first innings tota...

August 6: New Zealand consolidated their position in the third Test, scoring 128 for two wickets in reply to England’s first innings total of 199, when stumps were drawn on the second day here today.

But they needed a helping hand from England’s Graham Thorpe who squandered a comfortable chance at first slip to allow Matthew Horne to escape before New Zealand had scored a run.

Earlier, Mark Ramprakash grafted his way to an unbeaten half-century to help England to a respectable total. Ramprakash, 12 overnight, battled for more than three hours to reach 69 (269m, 227b) his highest Test score in England, passing his 67 not out against South Africa last summer.

Scoreboard

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England (1st innings, overnight 108-5): Mark Butcher c Fleming b Cairns 5, Mike Atherton c Parore b Cairns 11, Alec Stewart c Parore b Nash 23, Graham Thorpe c Bell b Vettori 27, Graeme Hick lbw Nash 12, Mark Ramprakash (not out) 69, Dean Headley c Fleming b Harris 18, Chris Read b Harris 0, Andy Caddick run out 12, Peter Such cBell b Vettori 0, Phill Tufnell c Astle b Nash 1. Extras (b6, lb10, w5): 21. Total (all out in 109.1 overs): 199.

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-54, 3-60, 4-83, 5-104, 6-133, 7-133, 8-152, 9-183.

Bowling: Cairns 34-12-72-2, Nash 31.1-15-46-3, Astle 11-5-14-0, Vettori 25-7-35-2, Harris 8-4-16-2. New Zealand (1st innings): M Horne b Caddick 39, M Bell (batting) 31, S Fleming lbw Such 38, N Astle (batting) 10. Extras (lb9 nb1): 10.

Total (for two wickets): 128.

Fall of wickets: 1-46 2-110

Bowling: Caddick 11-4-29-1, Headley 10-2-48-0, Tufnell 10-3-26-0, Such 10-4-16-1.