May 27, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

MANCHESTER (England), May 26: Andrew Strauss struck his 12th Test century on Monday to help England complete a remarkable six-wicket victory over New Zealand on the fourth day of the second Test at Old Trafford.

England, who trailed New Zealand by 179 runs on the first innings, reached their victory target of 294 in the final over before tea.

Strauss, recalled to the team in March after being dropped last year, made 106 after productive partnerships with Alastair Cook (out for 19 on Sunday), captain Michael Vaughan (48) and Kevin Pietersen (42 run out).

England, resuming on 76 for one after dismissing the Kiwis for only 114 in their second innings, also bettered the previous highest fourth innings winning total at Old Trafford. They scored 231 to defeat the West Indies four years ago.

The fall of Strauss, caught at slip off Iain O'Brien, and Pietersen, run out attempting a second run, created brief tension for England as they went from 235 for two to 248 for four.

But Ian Bell (21 not out) and Paul Collingwood (24 not out) saw them home, despite O'Brien dropping an easy chance from Bell off his own bowling.

After Ross Taylor's spectacular 154 not out from 176 balls put New Zealand in command on Saturday, the match swung on Sunday when 16 wickets fell.

England crashed to 202 all out in their first innings replying to New Zealand's 381 and then the Kiwis collapsed when England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar claimed test best figures of six for 37. Panesar was named Man-of-the-Match.

Monday began under a bright blue sky but with a cold, blustery wind. Strauss and Vaughan started in positive fashion, running several quick singles.

The New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who claimed five for 66 in the first innings, lacked the same threat second time round, while his team's fielding also appeared lethargic at times.

Vettori allowed a drive from Strauss escape through his legs for a single and in the next over a wild and pointless throw from wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum carried on for four overthrows, giving Strauss five.

Pietersen took England closer with a straight six off Vettori, and Strauss showed his growing confidence by advancing down the pitch to Vettori and flicking a straight ball over mid-wicket for four. Two balls later he stroked another boundary.

“Yesterday [Sunday] we looked dead and buried,” Vaughan told a television interviewer. “Thanks to an unbelievable spell by Monty it allowed to us to make 294. It's a very special victory from where we were yesterday afternoon.”

Vettori said the Kiwis had missed batsman Daniel Flynn, who retired hurt after he was hit on the head in the first innings and played no further part in the match.

“Monty assessed it really well and bowled to the conditions and got some prodigious turn,” he said.

“Probably we didn't help ourselves with some of our shots. Games that you should win hurt a lot more than games that you shouldn't win. We are going to be hurting for a long time.”

The third and final Test starts at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on June 5.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 381 (L.R.P.L. Taylor 154 not out, J.M. How 64, K.D. Mills 57; J.M. Anderson 4-118).

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 202 (A.J. Strauss 60; D.L. Vettori 5-66).

NEW ZEALAND (2nd Innings) 114 (M.S. Panesar 6-37).

ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 76-1):

A.J. Strauss c Taylor b O’Brien 106

A.N. Cook c Marshall b Vettori 28

M.P. Vaughan c McCullum b Martin 48

K.P. Pietersen run out 42

I.R. Bell not out 21

P.D. Collingwood not out 24

EXTRAS (B-9, LB-10, NB-6) 25

TOTAL (for four wkts, 88 overs) 294

FALL OF WKTS: 1-60, 2-150, 3-235, 4-248.

BOWLING: Martin 13-1-45-1 (2nb); Mills 6-0-17-0 (2nb); Vettori 35-7-111-1 (2nb); O’Brien 20-2-62-1; How 1-0-4-0; Oram 13-1-36-0.

RESULT: England won by six wickets.

UMPIRES: D.B. Hair and S.J.A. Taufel (both Australia).

TV UMPIRE: I.J. Gould (England).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Monty Panesar.

FFIRST TEST: Lord’s, match drawn.

THIRD TEST: Trent Bridge, June 5-9.—Reuters