2ND TEST LIVE: England v New Zealand at Old Trafford

Bad weather: Supporters wait for play to resume after a rain break at Old Trafford

185-4 - Broad and Panesar open the bowling after the break.

180-4 - And that's the session. The constant drizzle has finally had an effect, the covers are on, the players are off and it's an early tea. Taylor has stemmed the tide when England looked like they were about to rip through the Kiwis' batting.

177-4 - The Black Caps are ticking along nicely. Taylor brings up his fourth Test fifty with a blast through point off Anderson. And Oram breaks his boundary duck and it's Sidey that sees the ball fly to the midwicket boundary.

163-4 -Taylor moves on to 45 from 47 deliveries with a pulled six from another Jimmy A short ball. There's some good battles out there and Taylor is proving himself a very good player.

149-4 - A streaky Oram four is followed by four leg byes as the giant Kiwi tries to fend off another ripsnorter from Anderson using his helmet. Rattled.

136-4 - A sporting round of applause sees a woozy and bloodied Flynn off the field after an Anderson bouncer goes through his helmet and catches him the chops. It seems like the poor chap was holding one of his own teeth in his hand. The big man Jacob Oram to the crease.

Bloodied: Flynn is treated after being hit in the mouth from a ball by Anderson

131-4 - Monty drops short again and Flynn cuts that away for four. After another chat between Taufel and Hair and it's time for a new ball after England's continued concerns about its shape.

127-4 - Classy shot down the ground from Taylor but Anderson replies with a couple of bouncers at pace.

123-4 WICKET! - First boundary for McCullum through cover. Bit short from Monty. Next ball is clubbed over midwicket for six. Then two balls later Monty gets his man as McCullum edges it through to Collingwood although it was deflected off the gloves of Ambrose. Well watched Colly and very nicely flighted from Monty. Cue bouncing and flailing arms. Left-handed bat Daniel Flynn to the crease. McCullum gone for 11.

113-3 - Consecutive boundaries to Ross Taylor.

105-3 - Vaughan immediately brings Monty back into the attack. McCullum gets off the mark with a chip over the bowler's head.

Spun out: England's Panesar, centre, celebrates with team-mates after taking the wicket of Brendon McCullum for 11

102-3 WICKET! Anderson gets a beauty to move away from How and it catches the edge into the gloves of Tim Ambrose. If you could describe a perfect delivery it would be this one, says Mikey Holding. Master blaster Brendon McCullum comes to the crease. How gone for 64 from 110 balls.

101-2 - Lovely cover drive for four from How brings up the Black Caps' hundred as Sidebottom continues round the wicket.

96-2 - Steady return from lunch from England's dangerman Sidebottom before How picks up a quick two off Anderson.

92-2 - And that's the session. Honours even at Old Trafford thanks to two late strikes from Ryan Sidebottom. The session figures are: 29 overs; 92 runs; 2 wickets; 14.2 overs/hour; 3.17run/rate.

86-2 - Big appeal for LBW appeal turned down by Simon Taufel. Ross Taylor and the Kiwis are on the ropes.

86-2 WICKET! Sidebottom has saved the session for England, claiming another wicket. James Marshall is plumb LBW for a big, fat duck as Sidebottom swings one in from around the wicket. Good decision Simon Taufel. Ross Taylor is at the wicket.

80-1 - WICKET! Trademark Sidebottom as the Nottinghamshire seamer gets one to nip back and skittle Redmond's stumps. The Kiwi is bowled for 28, off 64 deliveries, not playing a shot. D'oh.

Saviour Sidebottom: England's Ryan Sidebottom launches an appeal

79-0 - Jamie How has reaches his third Test 50, off 75 balls,after hitting five fours.

66-0 - Jamie How has a slog at Monty Panesar and only succeeds in looping a chance to Stuart Broad at mid-on. But, despite a full-length dive from the paceman, How escapes as the ball lands just out of reach.

43-0 - Monty's on already - in the first hour of the first morning - and he's getting turn and bounce. A big LBW appeal is turned down by Simon Taufel.

12-0 - Darrell Hair's first big decision of the day comes when Ryan Sidebottom gets one to nip back at Jamie How. But it hits the opener above the knee-roll and big Darrell gravely shakes his head. Not out. Hawk-Eye agrees.

AND PLAY IS UNDER WAY...

New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss and chose to bat in the second npower Test against England at Old Trafford .

The tourists were forced into a late change after seamer Tim Southee was ruled out with a stomach virus.

Back in business: Australian umpire Darrell Hair returns to top-level action today

Expected to follow England's lead and name the same side that fought out a draw at Lord's this week, the tourists were forced to rule out 19-year-old Southee.

He has been struggling with a stomach illness for the last few days and although he took part in training yesterday at Old Trafford, he was unable to convince New Zealand's selectors that he was fit enough for the rigours of a five-day Test.

He has been replaced by seamer Iain O'Brien, who plays his first Test since featuring against Bangladesh in January as New Zealand attempt to end England's recent unbeaten record in January.

Unbeaten in their last five Tests at Old Trafford stretching back to a last day defeat to Pakistan in 2001, England named an unchanged team for the fourth successive Test yesterday after Hampshire seamer Chris Tremlett failed to break into the starting line-up.

The match marks the return of Darrell Hair, umpiring his first Test since the infamous forfeited Oval match between England and Pakistan in August 2006.