James Anderson struck his highest Test score and claimed his best bowling figures on the second day of the third and final Test against New Zealand as England took command at Trent Bridge on Friday.
Anderson claimed all the wickets to fall as his six for 42 saw New Zealand crash to 96 for six when bad light stopped play 18 overs short of the scheduled close.
Debutant wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins was 11 not out and skipper Daniel Vettori was on three.
It was Anderson’s unlikely batting heroics that earlier took England to 364 after he scored 28 and put on 76 with Stuart Broad (64) in a damaging eighth-wicket partnership for the tourists that was not broken until 100 minutes into the day.
New Zealand trail by 268 runs and require another 69 to avoid the follow-on.
England need only to avoid defeat in the match to win the series after drawing at Lord’s and winning the second Test at Old Trafford by six wickets.
Anderson bowled Aaron Redmond (1) and Brendon McCullum (9) with pitched-up out-swingers before tea as both looked to play through midwicket only to be squared up by the moving ball.
{{/usCountry}}Anderson bowled Aaron Redmond (1) and Brendon McCullum (9) with pitched-up out-swingers before tea as both looked to play through midwicket only to be squared up by the moving ball.
{{/usCountry}}McCullum’s delivery swung less and he should have played straighter.
After tea, Ross Taylor edged to Kevin Pietersen at gully for 21 and three balls later Daniel Flynn, who underwent dental surgery after being hit in the mouth by Anderson in the second Test, was lbw for nought after surviving a vocal lbw appeal on his second ball.
Opener Jamie How followed his fellow batsmen into the pavilion when edging an Anderson delivery, which left him off the seam, to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose for 40.
Number seven Jacob Oram looked uneasy throughout his innings and showed little footwork against the moving ball.
He eventually wafted at a loose one to give Anderson his best figures, beating his five for 42 against India.