11 Mar 2013

Dogged England batters force draw

6:07 am on 11 March 2013

England's batsmen showed the resilience they had been lacking in their first innings to battle to a draw in the first of three cricket tests against New Zealand in Dunedin.

The tourists, who had been bundled out for 167 on the first day, 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 on the final day.

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 in the final session.

Those hopes had been briefly roused after the tea break when nightwatchman Steven Finn was trapped in front by left arm 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.

Finn epitomised the hard graft of the England batsman when he made 56 from 203 balls.

The fast bowler batted for almost five hours as he held up one end while the more established batsmen chipped away at what was remaining of New Zealand's imposing 293-run first innings lead after McCullum had declared their first innings at 460 for nine.

The series resumes in Wellington next week.