Second Test, Old Trafford
England 152-4 v New Zealand 381 (close of play, day two) 

England closed day two of the second Test 229 behind New Zealand at 152-4.

Ross Taylor hit five sixes in a majestic unbeaten 154, the highest by a New Zealander at Old Trafford.

He shared 113 with Jacob Oram and after two strange run outs in three balls, added 89 with Kyle Mills who hit seven fours and a six in a maiden Test fifty.

England replied in watchful fashion, Andrew Strauss reaching fifty in the 40th over, but Daniel Vettori troubled all the batsmen and finished with 2-40.

Although New Zealand bowled with impressive accuracy, Vettori again the pick of the bowlers with his clever and subtle variations, England's approach seemed over-cautious, their run-rate of 2.57 some way short of 4.20 by the tourists.

The large crowd, watching their final Test Saturday for at least three years as the ECB seek improvements at Old Trafford, had some attritional fayre to endure, England's plans to keep wickets intact crumbling with three wickets for 34 runs late on.

The first wicket fell in the ninth over, Alastair Cook unfortunate to fall to a freakish delivery from Iain O'Brien that moved more than a foot, like a fast leg-break, and appeared to be missing leg-stump.

Having reached his 13th Test fifty, Strauss fell to a stunning one-handed catch low to his left from wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum.

Kevin Pietersen glanced his first ball for four and looked in more positive mood, but he was fortunate to survive on eight when Vettori appeared to have trapped him in front missing a sweep, only for umpire Darrell Hair to shake his head.

Michael Vaughan can scarcely have played a more subdued innings, with only the occasional stylish stroke to savour.

He was constantly tested by Vettori and eventually had the distinction of being Hair's first lbw victim back at the helm.

The decision to send in Ryan Sidebottom with almost five overs to go backfired when the left-hander edged to gully, rather epitomising a disjointed batting display.

The bright and distinctly breezy conditions were reminiscent of New Zealand, and the tourists certainly felt at home for the majority of the day.

Taylor, in such stark contrast from his kamikaze innings at Lord's, was in complete control and his wide array of shots allowed him to keep the scoreboard ticking.

He dominated the partnership of 113 with Oram, who although not at his best coped easily with the predominantly short pitched stuff England's seamers tried at him.

Monty Panesar was introduced after seven overs, and after he was savagely swept for four by Taylor, he tried his luck from over the wicket.

He immediately found some sharp turn but failed to trouble the batsmen although he should have dismissed Oram when the big left-hander was deceived in the flight and mis-hit to deep mid-on, but Anderson misjudged.

It needed something out of the ordinary to break the shackles and England were gifted it when Oram ambled his way down in response to Taylor's call for a single and Cook's direct hit swooping round from backward point found him short of his ground.

If Oram was negligent then Vettori, the man England have found so difficult to dislodge, was guilty of the sort of schoolboy running

Seeking a second run to Panesar at fine-leg he jogged into the crease with his bat almost tucked under his arm rather than outstretched for the line, and with no part of his anatomy grounded, the third umpire gave him out.

Any hopes England had of quickly wrapping up the innings soon evaporated when Mills cut loose with some bold, but authentic strokes on both sides of the wicket, surging past his previous Test highest of 31.

He dominated a stand of 89 in 20 overs before an inside edge crashed into his stumps.

With Daniel Flynn unable to bat following his sickening injury on day one, and mindful of his two less able tailenders, Taylor then accelerated the scoring.

England's fielding did not help their cause and Sidebottom's equanimity, never far from boiling point during combat, was severely tested by three maddening moments in an over.

Vaughan fumbled Kevin Pietersen's underarm shy at the stumps which allowed four overthrows, Stuart Broad helped a Taylor hook over the ropes for six when he could have taken a simple catch had he been on the boundary, and Ian Bell failed to hold a stinging drive in the covers.

Taylor saved the biggest of the blows to bring up his maiden Test 150, launching Sidebottom into the top tier at mid-wicket.

Anderson was not introduced until half an hour before lunch but though he remained expensive he captured the remaining three wickets.

However, the typical Kiwi rearguard makes it likely that England will somehow have to conjure up a mammoth total in order to wrestle control of the contest.