England take strike

         Gilchrist, Dhoni, Prior. Those who have not watched Prior's career develop may scoff at the notion, but increasingly those names run together with ease. His list of selfless, attacking innings is swelling, his influence upon England has been recognised with elevation to the Test vice captaincy and he reeks of positivity. New Zealand's pace bowlers had withstood a heavy workload - they are on their fifth new ball in less than a week with the prospect of a sixth to come - and however much Tim Southee, the senior member of the attack, insisted that their "bodies were recharged," they ultimately drained faster than an old Galaxy Ace.Alongside Prior, the Watford Wall offered shelter. Steven Finn's nightwatchman heroics to save the Test in Dunedin had brought his batting new respect and he contributed 24 to a stand of 83 in 20 overs, unveiling a sturdy slog-sweep against the left-arm spin of Martin, before he drove Wagner into the off side.New Zealand's four-strong attack shrugged off their onerous workload of the past week and struck back strongly on the second morning . Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell and Joe Root all succumbed as England, superior overnight at 267 for 2, leant heavily on Kevin Pietersen to reach lunch in reasonable order.  England mustered only 17 in the first 10 overs. Pietersen responded to the arrival Martin by driving his first ball for six, but any ambitions that Martin would provide England with an outlet were also stymied. Only with lunch approaching did Pietersen seem to get Martin's measure.
       Bell had an attack of the Ahmedabads. He had fallen first ball to the left-arm spinner, Pragyan Ojha in Ahmedabad, dancing down the pitch to try to loft him over the top in what smacked off a crazily preconceived plan. It was far from the first ball this time - he had batted for more than an hour - but the outcome was just the same as he failed to deposit Martin down the ground and Fulton ran back from mid-off to hold a neat, swirling catch.Martin, tossing the ball high, found noticeably more turn than on the first day and he also unpicked Root, who tried to carve him through cover off the front foot and edged a turning delivery to slip. It was an ugly, misconceived shot and he stomped off with a farmer's gait. His start to international cricket has been something of a fairy story and disappointments such as this are inevitableHe fell shortly before tea, for 82 from 99 balls, denied a seventh Test century, which would have taken him only one behind England's most productive century-maker among England wicketkeepers, Les Ames, by Neil Wagner's springing catch to intercept a reverse sweep, denied it, too, by the recognition that England had no plans to bat beyond the interval.