Lunch

Here’s the good news, such as it is: England avoided the follow-on. But only just. Shortly afterwards, they were bowled out for 202, giving New Zealand a first-innings lead of 179. And this in a series that England were expected to win 3-0, their goals set somewhat higher than avoiding follow-ons.

The one moment of cheer for the crowd on a morning dominated by New Zealand - apart from the prospect of a full day’s drinking with a Bank Holiday to sleep it off - came when Stuart Broad nudged Daniel Vettori for two through extra cover to ensure that England would not have to follow on. There were nine wickets down at the time, with James Anderson at one end (he comes in after Monty Panesar, remember), so the relief was understandable.

Presumably England came out with positive intentions this morning, but those aims were quickly shelved as Daniel Vettori and Ian O’Brien immediately exerted a stranglehold. Kevin Pietersen had already had a couple of close calls when he pushed out at Vettori and was caught at slip. Bell soon followed, snicking a forcing shot off O’Brien to give Taylor another catch.

Paul Collingwood and Tim Ambrose soon followed and when Panesar was ninth out, brilliantly caught at full stretch by Brendon McCullum, England still needed two to avert that follow-on. Mercifully, Broad saw them through with a sparky innings of 30, equalling England’s second-highest score of the innings. Vettori, extracting turn and bounce, finished with five for 66. If this is what he can do in the first innings, how dangerous will he be when England are batting last?

Before lunch, Jamie How and Aaron Redmond survived three overs from Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson. New Zealand have had a wonderful morning.

Tea

Someone has pressed the fast-forward button on this game today. In a breathless afternoon session, Monty Panesar has bowled England back into the match, taking five wickets to leave New Zealand on 99 for six at tea, a lead of 287. On a pitch offering sharp turn and disconcerting bounce, Panesar has routed the New Zealand top order, notching up his 100th Test wicket in the process. The downside for England is that Daniel Vettori, having taken five wickets in their first innings, is likely to be just as much of a threat on this pitch in the fourth innings.

We all know how Panesar enjoys his appealing and four of his five wickets this afternoon have come from leg-before decisions granted by Simon Taufel, the Australian umpire. For Panesar, that is the stuff of dreams.

After James Anderson had Aaron Redmond caught in the gully, Panesar took the next five wickets, starting with. Jamie How, who was leg-before propping forward. James Marshall and Brendon McCullum then fell in the space of four balls, McCullum to a wild sweep, before Vettori top-edged a sweep and Ross Taylor, the first-innings centurion, played across a turning ball just before tea. Panesar has never taken more than six wickets in an innings for England, but he could put that right after tea.

Close

Having been hauled back into the game by Monty Panesar, England have made an encouraging start in their pursuit of 294 for victory, although their optimism was checked slightly when Alastair Cook fell before the close. Playing back to Daniel Vettori, Cook got a thin edge onto his thigh pad and was well caught by James Marshall, diving forward at short leg. England will resume tomorrow morning on 76 for one, requiring another 218 to win on what should be an enthralling fourth day’s play tomorrow.

Chasing such a sizeable fourth-innings target on this worn, spinning pitch will be a daunting task for England, but Cook and Andrew Strauss had proceeded with few alarms in an opening stand of 60. A further cause of hope for England is that Jacob Oram is unlikely to bowl for New Zealand, having injured his shoulder in the warm-up this morning.

It had taken England just 9.3 overs after tea to claim the last four wickets of New Zealand’s second innings, bowling them out for 114 in only 41.2 overs. Only one of those wickets fell to Monty Panesar, Kyle Mills caught by Tim Ambrose from top-edged a sweep, but this was enough to give the left-arm spinner six for 37, his best figures for England. Panesar is always warmly welcomed whenever he ventures near the boundary during a Test match, but having rescued England’s hopes here, he was rapturously received today.