New Zealand ahead of the Third Test Cricket

England were left on the edge of a series defeat to New Zealand after their match in Auckland this weekend.

Peter Fulton scored a century and a 67 not out from Brendon McCullum saw New Zealand reach 241-6 – leaving England needing 481 to win in 143 overs.

It took New Zealand just nine deliveries to strike, with Compton pushing forward to Tim Southee and edging low to BJ Watling.

The New Zealand wicketkeeper missed a chance to send Cook back and removed Trott (37) off Neil Wagner.

First he removed the England skipper, with Dean Brownlie holding a superb catch to end Cook’s 145-ball resistance for 43, while New Zealand were celebrating again as Southee brilliantly caught nightwatchman Steven Finn.

That left England at 90-4 at stumps, with Bell eight not out after 89 balls.

Fulton had become only the fourth New Zealander to hit two hundreds in the same Test, with 110 including 14 fours and five sixes.

England did remove Brownlie for 28, with Bell holding on to the catch off Monty Panesar, but that saw McCullum enter the fray.

Panesar  claimed the wicket of Watling (18) – Compton took the catch – to force the declaration.

The New Zealand captain brought his half-century up off just 45 balls as he and Fulton went after the attack.

They shared a stand of 117 in 101 balls until Fulton, who had been dropped on 18, pulled Finn to Joe Root at long-on.