England show resilience to draw first Test against New Zealand
Umpire Paul Reiffel signals that New Zealand's Neil Wagner has successfully dismissed England's Kevin Pietersen for 12 runs during the fifth day of the first Test at the University Oval in Dunedin yesterday
England’s batsmen showed the resilience they had been lacking in their first innings to battle to a draw in the first of three Tests against New Zealand at University Oval yesterday.
The tourists, who werer out for 167 in their first innings, were 421 for six with a lead of 128 runs when captains Alastair Cook and Brendon McCullum agreed a result was unlikely in the remaining 15 overs available.
Ian Bell, on 26, and wicketkeeper Matt Prior on 23 were at the crease when the match ended, having snuffed out New Zealand’s slim hopes of victory. Those hopes had been roused break when nightwatchman Steven Finn was trapped in front by spinner Bruce Martin for 56 and Joe Root was run out for a duck. Root’s dismissal left England on 390 for six, a lead of 97 runs with a minimum 31 overs remaining in the day.
