Strauss sets up historic win

Ton from opener sets the tone for record run chase

Last updated: 27th May 2008

andrew strauss

Strauss: 12th Test century

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England chased down their highest ever victory target at Old Trafford to beat New Zealand by six wickets in the second Test.

Set 294 to win, the hosts resumed on 76-1 with the match in the balance, but a 12th Test century from Andrew Strauss helped see them home to a surprisingly comfortable victory.

Strauss extended his overnight position of 27 to 106, sharing stands worth 90 with Michael Vaughan and 85 with Kevin Pietersen against the increasingly demoralised tourists.

The left-hander eventually fell with 59 still required, but an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 46 between Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood completed the result on the stroke of tea.

New Zealand were left to rue a spectacular second-innings collapse that saw them waste the advantage they had built up on the first two days. After gaining a first-innings advantage of 179, man-of-the-match Monty Panesar's six-wicket haul saw the Black Caps shot out for just 114 second time around.

Freefall

And the freefall continued on a bitingly cold fourth day. The expected demons in the pitch did not materialise and Vettori, who had taken 5-66 in the first innings and was expected to again be the main threat, proved as ineffective as the rest of his bowling attack on his way to figures of 1-111.

England opted for a positive approach, Strauss and Vaughan taking every opportunity to put the fielders under pressure during the first half-hour. New Zealand, clearly not relishing their task in a howling wind, were run ragged, particularly by Vaughan, not usually noted for his swiftness between the wickets.

Vaughan was undone two short of a half-century when he edged seamer Chris Martin (1-45) behind to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum shortly before lunch.

His demise brought Kevin Pietersen to the crease with England needing a further 144, knowing another quick wicket would swing the momentum firmly back towards the tourists.

But Strauss upped the tempo, requiring just 73 balls to progress from 50 to three figures, a second century in four innings to fully justify his reinstatement at the top of the order after missing the winter tour of Sri Lanka and then returning at number three in New Zealand.

Anxious

The only anxious moment for England came with the loss of both Strauss and Pietersen in the space of four overs in mid-afternoon.

Strauss edged a loose drive low to Ross Taylor at slip off the bowling of Iain O'Brien (1-62) two overs after completing his century, while Pietersen - who showed signs of his best form on the way to 42 - ran himself out coming back for a second.

At that stage England were 248-4, still needing 46, with Bell (21no) and Collingwood - two players out-of-form and battling to retain their places - with the responsibility of guiding their side home.

It was not particularly pretty, especially from Collingwood, but the fifth-wicket pair slowly chipped away at the target before finishing things with a flurry of boundaries in the over before tea.

Collingwood (24no) pulled two fours through midwicket off all-rounder Jacob Oram (0-36) to complete England's victory and extend their unbeaten record at Old Trafford to six matches, a run that includes five wins.

England lead the three-Test series 1-0, with the third Test at Trent Bridge set to get under way on June 5.