Strong Finish For England On Day Two In Queenstown

Strong Finish For England On Day Two In Queenstown

Graeme Swann hit a quickfire 27 and then took two for 36

©REUTERS / Action Images

England XI 426 (Bell 158, Cook 60) v
New Zealand XI 224-6 (Rutherford 90)
Tour game, Queenstown, day two
Day One report

Half-centuries from Hamish Rutherford and Dean Brownlie led a strong New Zealand XI reply to England's score of 426 all out on day two of their tour game in Queenstown.

The home side closed on 224 for six after Rutherford, tipped to make his Test debut in Dunedin, made 90, and Brownlie hit 63 and England finished the day with two wickets in the final two overs.

Ian Bell had earlier been the last man to fall for England having made 158 in 233 balls.

Stuart Broad (14) helped Bell add 66 for the eighth wicket as Bell took on the New Zealand bowlers and was joined by Graeme Swann, whose 27 occupied just 17 balls after Broad was caught by Tom Latham off Mark Gillespie.

Swann blasted six boundaries before becoming Neil Wagner's third wicket and after hitting 23 fours in all, Bell was caught by the substitute fielder as Wagner picked up figures of four for 90. James Neesham, who had reduced England to 81 for three on the opening day, returned four for 73.

New Zealand XI's innings then followed a similar pattern to England's with Rutherford holding firm at one end as wickets fell at the other.

Swann trapped Latham in front for 16, Broad had Carl Cachopa caught by Swann for six and Neil Broom was run out by Kevin Pietersen for 14 as the home side slipped to 94 for three.

Rutherford, who faced 149 balls for his 90, then joined forces with Brownlie, whose 63 came from the same number of deliveries and the pair put on 69 for the fourth wicket.

Chris Woakes bowled Rutherford after he had hit 13 fours and one six and Brownlie fell, caught behind off Jonathan Trott as England finished the day as strongly as they had ended the first.

Five balls after Brownlie was dismissed, Neesham was trapped in front by Swann for nought, leaving BJ Watling unbeaten on 26, and a stiff task ahead of him to try to get New Zealand close to England's score.

© Cricket World 2013