England should have happy memories of their trip to Napier. At last yesterday, in perfect weather, with wives, girlfriends and children watching, they were able to enjoy a batting day that went exactly according to plan. Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss, the two batsmen who most needed to make a Test hundred, did so, Strauss doggedly, Bell sonorously.

The circumstances could hardly have been more propitious but they did what had to be done. Fulfilling the needs both of their team and themselves they put on 187 together for the fourth wicket, finally dominating the bowling as the batsmen of both sides had been hoping to do until 22 wickets fell on the first two days against cricketing logic. Bowling their opponents out a second time ought not to be so simple for England as it proved to be on Sunday afternoon but time, weather, morale, poor form and a relative lack of experience all made New Zealand's survival for most of the last two days unlikely, no matter how true the pitch.

For Strauss this highest Test score of his career was his most important innings since his first for England at Lord's, four busy years ago. His first hundred in 2004 guaranateed a Test future, his eleventh yesterday saved it from a premature finish.

For Bell there was all the difference in the world between the 110 that he reached before driving the richly deserving Danielo Vettori to mid-off and another of those shortlived cameos that decorate Test matches but do not win them. His seventh Test hundred was the innings of the day, one that betrayed none of the anxiety that he must have felt, no matter how bright the light, flat the pitch and friendly at least some of New Zealand's bowling. He gave a delightful exhibition of easeful timing, stroking 17 fours, the majority caressed through extra cover like a Cowdrey or a Gower. He added two sixes for good measure, one lofted over long-on off Daniel Vettori, a bold statement early in his innings, a second clipped off Jeetan Patel over the inviting mid-wicket boundary a mere 66 yards away.

Bell's individual relief was considerable when he got to three figures at last, given that he had scored seven fifties since his last hundred 12 Tests previously. But it was nothing by comparison with his partner's reaction. Strauss knew - and admitted - that this innings was the last throw of the dice. Failure would have meant another enforced break in his international career, almost certainly the end of it.

He still struggled to survive two fierce and typically unlucky overs by Chris Martin with the second new ball before driving through extra cover to celebrate with four eloquent, not to say violent swings of his bat towards his wife, Ruth, and his team-mates in the dressing-room square of the pitch. So dramatic a release of pent-up emotion from a man of such equable temperament graphically demonstrated how cricket can gnaw to the depths of a man's soul. But no-one has ever doubted Strauss's strength of character.

As usual when batsmen are short of form, confidence and luck, his footwork had been crabby during the long period of uncertainty that started in Australia 17 months ago. The first confirmation that the clouds were clearing from his horizon came quite early on the third morning, when straight driven fours off Chris Martin and Tim Southee were followed by a bold shimmy down the pitch to drive Vettori through extra cover. That was a declaration of intent: he would continue to be patient and careful, but he was no longer prepared to be shackled.

The fifty that he reached before lunch was his first since the Trent Bridge Test against India last August; the hundred that followed shortly before tea his first in 16 Tests, going back to Headingley in 2006 when he was captaining England and no-one doubted his place. Either side of his partnership with Bell, he lost Kevin Pietersen, who had helped him see the remaining shine off the new ball with proper dedication before falling to a brilliant low slip catch by Ross Taylor; and Paul Collingwood, chipping back a caught and bowled after a busy pursuit of quick runs.

New Zealand stuck gamely to their increasingly thankless task. Vettori varied his pace constantly and, less than pragmatically perhaps, never resorted to bowling defensively at the leg stump. The inexperienced Tim Southee and Jeetan Patel again bowled with excellent control and if Grant Elliot's bowling was exposed as inadequate, his fielding was quite outstanding. To that extent at least he has proved himself a Kiwi. Like Strauss they seldom fail to make the most of their ability.

England 2nd innings

AN Cook c McCullum b Patel 37

MP Vaughan c McCullum b Martin4

AJ Straussnot out173

KP Pietersen c Taylor b Vettori 34

IR Bell c Sinclair b Vettori 110

PD Collingwood c & b Vettori 22

TR Ambrose not out 28

Extras (lb 3, w 1, nb 4)8

Total (5 wickets; 122 overs) 416

SCJ Broad, RJ Sidebottom, MS Panesar, JM Anderson to bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-77, 3-140, 4-327, 5-361

Bowling: CS Martin 18-2-60-1; TG Southee24-5-84-0; GD Elliott 14-1-58-0; JS Patel 26-4-76-1; DL Vettori 40-6-135-3

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