England strike late

New Zealand have frustrated England for most of the second day of the second Test, but lost crucial late wickets.

17:18 04 June 2004

New Zealand have frustrated England for most of the second day of the second Test, but lost crucial late wickets.

Stephen Fleming and Michael Papps had played uninspiring but determined cricket to stay at the crease most of the day, but England removed both either side of tea.

The Kiwis had reached 225-4 after 93 overs, but a draw now seems the likely result.

Andrew Flintoff made the decisive breakthrough shortly before tea, removing Papps after a well-crafted innings.

The New Zealand batsman was only in the side because of a number of injuries, but acquitted himself well in a day of cricket that failed to excite the crowd.

He was finally removed for 86 after being trapped lbw by Flintoff, after the England all-rounder had shown more with the ball than most of his team-mates had all day.

And England's joy was increased even further shortly after tea, when two wickets fell in quick succession as the home side brought the crowd back to life.

First Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming (97) was removed just shy of his century - caught by Michael Vaughan off Stephen Harmison - and then Martin Saggers removed the dangerous Nathan Astle for two.

Earlier in the day, Papps and Fleming had frustrated Vaughan and his men, surviving almost the entire first two sessions while barely troubling the scoreboard.

The second-wicket duo had moved their side from an overnight score of 41-1 to 210-1 before Flintoff finally broke their resistance.