Kiwis make toothless England toil

London, May 22

Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor mastered a lifeless England attack to lift New Zealand to 303 for two at the close on the second day of the first Test at Lord's on Friday. Replying to England's 389, the pair shared an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 155 to give the touring side the ascendancy in the match.

Williamson was 92 not out at the close with Taylor on 47 and New Zealand will look to build a big lead on Saturday to put pressure on the hosts in their second innings. Tom Latham and Martin Guptill also made fluent half centuries in a solid opening partnership of 148 before the former, on 59, was trapped lbw by spinner Moeen Ali. Three balls later Guptill drove Stuart Broad loosely to cover where Gary Ballance took a fine sprawling catch to dismiss the elegant right-hander for 70.

That was England's last success of the day, however, as the compact Williamson went about his work. He pushed the ball around cleverly and efficiently dispatched loose balls to the boundary, reaching his fifty off 78 deliveries. Taylor started watchfully but he played a couple of signature sweetly-timed drives in the final session to signal his return to form after a poor run.

Alastair Cook rotated his bowlers but none of the seamers extracted any movement. 

Brief scores: England 389 (Root 98, Stokes 92, Buttler 67, Moeen 58, Boult 4-79, Henry 4-93); NZ 302 for 2 (Root 92no Latham 59, Guptill 70). — Reuters