Monty Panesar took a Test best 6-37 to lead an astonishing England fightback on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand at Old Trafford on Sunday. After dismissing the Kiwis for just 114 in their second innings, England were 76-1 in their second innings, needing a further 218 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Ross Taylor’s second Test century ensured New Zealand recovered from two run outs in three balls to reach lunch on 322 for six against England on day two of the second Test at Old Trafford on Saturday. Taylor, in his seventh Test and who made his maiden century against England in March, reached 115 from 141 balls at the interval.
New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram chose the right occasion and the perfect venue to score his first Test century against England on Monday with a match-saving innings in the first Test at Lord’s. New Zealand held an overall lead of only 78 with four wickets down when wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum retired hurt and was taken to hospital after a blow to his left forearm.
Ryan Sidebottom turned in a miserly spell of four wickets for five runs in 10.1 overs on Friday as New Zealand were bowled out for 277 on the second day of the first Test at Lord’s in London. Openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook then built on Sidebottom’s good work and England, at stumps, were 68 without loss.
Brendon McCullum led a New Zealand fightback against England with a run-a-ball 97 to help his side to 208-6 when bad light ended the first day’s play of the first Test at Lord’s on Thursday. But three runs short of what would have been the wicket-keeper’s third Test hundred, McCullum was bowled by a quicker delivery from left-arm spinner Monty Panesar.
Tim Ambrose and Paul Collingwood rescued England’s innings after New Zealand’s Jacob Oram had inspired a top-order collapse to ensure the second Test was evenly poised at the end of the first day’s play on Thursday. Ambrose and Collingwood came together with their side teetering at 136 for five during the middle session to combine for an unbeaten 155-run sixth wicket partnership.
New Zealand thrashed England by 189 runs in the first cricket Test on Sunday when England’s second innings disintegrated after Kyle Mills ripped through the top order. Set a tempting target of 300 to win in 81 overs, England were all out for 110 with 26 overs and a full session of play remaining.
A sensational hat-trick by Ryan Sidebottom shattered New Zealand’s run charge and ignited an England fightback on day four of the first cricket Test on Saturday. New Zealand, who had been in control and rapidly building a challenging target, lost five wickets in 29 balls to be left struggling at 147-8 in their second innings.
The prized wicket of New Zealand’s big-hitting Brendon McCullum just before stumps gave England a slight edge on the opening day of the first cricket Test on Wednesday. New Zealand ended the day at 282-6 after an 86-run partnership between McCullum and Ross Taylor had lifted them out of a middle-order hole.
No image available
/ 15 February 2008
England kept the five-match series alive by beating New Zealand by six wickets in the third one-dayer in Auckland on Friday. The visitors, chasing an adjusted victory target, cruised to victory with three overs to spare to cut their series deficit to 2-1.
No image available
/ 12 February 2008
A dominant batting performance by openers Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder powered New Zealand to a 10-wicket win over England in the second one-day cricket international on Tuesday. The overwhelming victory, completed with 17.5 overs to spare in the rain-shortened game, lifted New Zealand to 2-0 in the five-match series.
No image available
/ 9 February 2008
In a stunning reversal of form, New Zealand thrashed England in their opening one-day cricket international by six wickets with 20 overs to spare at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday. The win came just days after England thoroughly outplayed New Zealand in all departments in two Twenty20 matches.
No image available
/ 7 February 2008
England beat New Zealand by 50 runs in Christchurch on Thursday to complete a 2-0 series sweep of their two Twenty20 internationals. England followed up their 32-run win in Auckland on Tuesday with an even more emphatic victory to continue their perfect start to the two-month tour.
No image available
/ 13 January 2008
Daniel Vettori and Stephen Fleming both fell agonisingly short of making hundreds after putting New Zealand in total command of the second test against Bangladesh on Sunday. Vettori scored 94 and Fleming 87 as the Kiwis posted a big first innings total of 393 on the second day the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand’s inspired bowlers wrecked Bangladesh’s hopes of survival in the first cricket Test on Sunday, setting up a comfortable nine-wicket win with two days to spare. Bangladesh started the day at a confident 148 without loss in their second innings, but within two sessions the game was over.
Matthew Bell scored an unbeaten half-century in his first Test appearance in more than six years to ram home New Zealand’s advantage over Bangladesh on the opening day of the first Test in Dunedin on Friday. Bell made 74 not out to help the Kiwis recover from a slow start and reach stumps on 156-4 in reply to Bangladesh’s miserable first-innings total of 137.
No image available
/ 31 December 2007
Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum put in record performances as New Zealand thrashed Bangladesh by 10 wickets with 44 overs to spare in a one-day international on Monday. Bangladesh were all out for 93 in the 38th over, with Vettori returning a magnificent 5-7.
No image available
/ 28 December 2007
New Zealand produced a solid all-round performance to wrap up their three-match one-day series against Bangladesh with a 102-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system in the second game in Napier on Friday. New Zealand had scored 335-5 in their 50 overs, with Peter Fulton top-scoring with 83, before rain forced the players from the field.
No image available
/ 19 December 2007
Australia’s bowlers backed up captain Ricky Ponting’s second successive one-day international century to lead their side to a 114-run win and series victory against New Zealand in Hobart on Thursday. Ponting, who made 107 not out in Australia’s seven-wicket victory in the first game in Adelaide, struck an unbeaten 134.
No image available
/ 14 December 2007
Ricky Ponting scored his 24th one-day 100 and Adam Gilchrist clubbed a ferocious half-century to steer Australia to a convincing seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the opening Chappell Hadlee Trophy series game in Adelaide on Friday. Skipper Ponting cruised to an unbeaten 107 off 108 balls with 13 boundaries to glide Australia home to victory.
No image available
/ 2 December 2007
Herschelle Gibbs hit a majestic century as South Africa cruised to a series-clinching five-wicket win in the third and final one-day international against New Zealand at Newlands on Sunday. Gibbs made 119 off 101 balls as South Africa chased down New Zealand’s 238-8 with 28 balls to spare.
No image available
/ 28 November 2007
New Zealand coach John Bracewell believes his team can take heart from the way they pushed South Africa until the last over in the Pro20 match last Friday and the first MTN one-day international (ODI) in Durban on Sunday. South Africa won the Pro20 with a ball to spare and the ODI off the last ball of the match.
No image available
/ 16 November 2007
It was Sunday night in Jozi in the type of pub in which the ”No Smoking” signs seem to turn a deeper shade of mustard gas with each devious gentle expulsion of spent tobacco. The half-price pizza special was long over. Worse, the kitchen was closed. So the hungry worked on their thirst instead.
No image available
/ 15 November 2007
South Africa will be ruthless in the second Test against New Zealand after securing their biggest win in the first match, cricket coach Mickey Arthur said on Thursday. he hosts won the first Test by 358 runs in Johannesburg on Sunday, which also marked New Zealand’s heaviest loss. The second Test starts on Friday.
No image available
/ 14 November 2007
”We have to find a way of dealing with the aggressive way they play,” was the suggestion made by New Zealand cricket vice-captain Brendon McCullum on Wednesday, two days before the second Castle Lager Test match between New Zealand and South Africa at Supersport Park.
No image available
/ 12 November 2007
South African captain Graeme Smith laid into the state of the country’s pitches after his team surged to a record win over New Zealand in the first Test on Sunday. South Africa won by 358 runs after lunch on the fourth day to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
No image available
/ 11 November 2007
A five-wicket haul by Dale Steyn helped South Africa beat New Zealand by a mammoth 358 runs 42 minutes after lunch on the fourth day of the first Castle Lager Test at the Wanderers on Sunday. Scott Styris and Brendon McCullum resumed play on the overnight score of 57 for three.
No image available
/ 11 November 2007
New Zealand strike-bowler Shane Bond is to return home after sustaining an abdominal strain during the first Castle Lager Test against South Africa at the Wanderers on Saturday. New Zealand manager Lindsay Crocker said Bond’s injury will keep him out of cricket for four to six weeks.
No image available
/ 10 November 2007
A masterful third-wicket partnership of 330 by Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla helped South Africa take complete control on the third day of the first Castle Lager Test between South Africa and New Zealand at the Wanderers on Saturday. At stumps, New Zealand had 57 for three, and trailed South Africa by 473.
No image available
/ 9 November 2007
New Zealand lost five wickets for the addition of 56 runs before lunch on the second day of the first Castle Lager Test against South Africa at the Wanderers on Friday, and were reeling on 97 for seven at the break. They trailed South Africa by 129 runs.
No image available
/ 8 November 2007
Shane Bond celebrated his first Test against South Africa by taking four wickets on the opening day of the first Castle Lager Test between South Africa and New Zealand, as South Africa were bundled out for 226, an hour-and-a-quarter after tea. New Zealand had 41 for two when stumps were drawn.
No image available
/ 3 November 2007
On a day on which 18 wickets fell, Friedel de Wet claimed his tenth five wicket haul with figures of six for 50 to give South Africa A a commanding lead of 271 at the end of the second day of their four-day match against New Zealand at Sedgars Park on Friday.