Rain ensures draw

Persistent rain and a pitch that offered the seam bowlers little assistance ensured the second Test between New Zealand and England at the Basin Reserve ended in a damp draw when the final day’s play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Monday.

Much of Sunday’s fourth day was also washed out after lunch as intermittent rain showers swept across the Wellington region resulting in a near farcical situation as the umpires cleared the ground for play three times, only for the rain to return and force further delays.

New Zealand were 162 for two when match officials abandoned the day’s play with Kane Williamson 55 not out while Ross Taylor was on 41 after the pair combined for an 81-run partnership to thwart England's bowlers on Sunday.

The hosts were still 49 runs away from making England bat again after Alastair Cook had enforced the follow on when New Zealand were bowled out for 254.

The visitors, who had been asked to bat by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum as he tried to exploit whatever advantage the pitch would provide, batted the hosts out of the match on the first day with Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott scoring centuries.

score board

ENGLAND (I Innings): 465
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings): 254
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings):
Fulton c Cook b Anderson    45
Rutherford c Bell b Panesar    15
Williamson (not out)    55
Taylor (not out)    41

Extras (LB-1, W-5)    6

Total (for 2 wkts, 68 overs)    162

Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-81.

Bowling: Anderson 12-4-27-1, Broad 14-6-32-0, Finn 11-2-36-0, Panesar 26-12-44-1, Trott 3-0-10-0, Root 2-0-12-0.