England struggle after Taylor dominates

Andrew Strauss eked out his third consecutive half-century against these opponents.

But it was Taylor (154no) who provided all the highlights of an otherwise attritional second day of the second Test, which England finished on a vulnerable 152 for four in reply to the Black Caps' first-innings 381.

After Taylor had lit up the sun-bathed Manchester crowd with a 176-ball innings which featured five sixes and 17 fours, England's top order did not concern themselves with entertainment value.

Instead, against a Kiwi attack intent on making every run a triumph, Strauss (60) needed 140 balls to reach a 50 containing just five boundaries with captain Michael Vaughan even more restrained.

It seemed his reward might come with wicket intact and power to add at stumps.

But he fell lbw on the front-foot defence to his opposite number Daniel Vettori, having taken 44 overs for his 30 runs - and when nightwatchman Ryan Sidebottom also went caught at slip before the close, England needed unbeaten batsmen Kevin Pietersen (22 not out) and Ian Bell (four no) to make big runs tomorrow.

Their bowlers had earlier taken a caning from Taylor, who made up for New Zealand's comical loss of two wickets to run-outs in one over - and the continued absence of the injured Daniel Flynn.

On a pitch which had good pace for shot-making, Taylor showed how it could be done - whereas England had to wait for the entrance of Pietersen deep into the final hour before there was any suggestion of momentum.

Before then, Iain O'Brien had first seen off Alastair Cook courtesy of a debatable lbw verdict with a ball which pitched on the line of the stumps but seamed back in so much to the left-hander that it was probably barely clipping leg-stump - with height also an issue.