New Zealand take two wickets in England Test

LEEDS, United Kingdom (AFP) –

England batsman Nick Compton walks back to the pavilion following his dismissal during the second day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand in Leeds on May 25, 2013. New Zealand took two wickets in as many balls to reduce England to 67 for three at lunch on the second day of the second Test.

New Zealand took two wickets in as many balls to reduce England to 67 for three at lunch on the second day of the second Test in Leeds on Saturday.

England, after the early loss of Nick Compton, made largely untroubled progress during a second-wicket partnership of 56 between captain Alastair Cook (34) and Jonathan Trott (28) after the hosts had been 11 for one.

But with their score on 67, they saw Trott, driving well away from his body, caught behind by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum off left-arm quick Neil Wagner for 28.

And next ball left-hander Cook, whose 34 featured six fours, flat-footedly edged recalled seamer Doug Bracewell to third slip Dean Brownlie.

Both Ian Bell and Joe Root, in his first Test on his Yorkshire home ground, were nought not out at lunch.

Earlier, Cook won the toss and batted first with the sunny blue skies overhead providing seemingly ideal conditions to make first use of a good pitch and fast outfield following Friday’s total washout.

But Tim Southee, who starred with 10 wickets in the midst of a crushing 170-run defeat in the first of this two-Test series at Lord’s last week, struck in Saturday’s fourth over.

The seamer had opener Nick Compton, off a static half-drive, excellently caught head-high by Brownlie for one.

By recalling Bracewell, after Bruce Martin suffered a calf injury at Lord’s and his fellow left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori was not deemed fit enough for a return to Test duty after nearly a year out with fitness problems, the tourists were left with a four-man seam attack.

New Zealand also brought in batsman Martin Guptill after wicket-keeper BJ Watling was ruled out with a knee injury sustained at Lord’s.

McCullum, who deputised behind the stumps during the first Test, donned the gloves again having given up full-time keeping in Tests in 2010 because of knee and back problems.