Vaughan rues missed chance

Skipper expecting a tough series

Last updated: 20th May 2008

Michael Vaughan England raining at Lords

Vaughan: need to improve

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England captain Michael Vaughan admitted his side may have missed their chance to win the first Test and and go 1-0 up in the series.

At one stage on the final day at Lord's, New Zealand were 120-4, just 78 runs ahead and with Brendon McCullum retired hurt.

At that stage England looked to have an opportunity to force a win, but all-rounder Jacob Oram took the game away from them with a classy century.

The weather-disrupted match eventually ended in a draw with new Zealand on 269-6.

Vaughan told Sky Sports: "That was the moment when we created an opportunity and the chance was there to go on and win the game, but full credit to Jacob Oram.

"It proves it is going to be a tough series.

"We go to Manchester and hope the weather is going to be better there. If we just improve that little bit more, the game should be a good one."

Upbeat

Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori, who was named man-of-the-match, was in upbeat mood after his much-maligned side's battling display. "We don't write ourselves off in the dressing room," he told Sky Sports. "We've got a team that believes. We're young but we've still got a good side.

"Jacob took us from a little bit of a precarious situation. It was nice to see him play his normal game, to get a hundred in difficult conditions was fantastic."

Looking ahead to the second Test which starts at Old Trafford on Friday, Vettori added: "Maybe we've started first Tests really well in previous series and this is a chance for us not to let up at Old Trafford.

"The wicket is rumoured to be a bit quicker there so we're going to wait and see what it's like. We haven't played on one of those for a while but we're excited by it."