Fleming piles on England misery

The former Kiwi captain, playing the final Test of his career, raced to his 50 off only 53 balls to help his side reach 93 for one off just 20 overs by lunch on the second day, having dismissed the tourists for a lowly 253 earlier in the morning.

Fleming hit eight fours and a six as England's hopes of remaining in contention for the remainder of the Test was undermined by a series of attacking shots before the interval.

Resuming on 240 for seven hoping to frustrate New Zealand at least until lunch, the tourists were dismissed in only 4.1 overs, with emerging seamer Tim Southee claiming five wickets on his debut. England had hoped Stuart Broad, who had battled for over two hours for his 42, could advance to his maiden Test half-century but instead he fell to the first ball of the day when he edged Southee behind. Monty Panesar followed three overs later when he played around a straight ball from seamer Chris Martin and had his middle stump removed.

Southee finished off England's innings in the next over, with Ryan Sidebottom pulling to mid-on to claim his five-wicket haul to finish with five for 55, the best figures on debut for New Zealand since Alex Moir grabbed six for 155 against England in Christchurch in 1951. Sidebottom lifted England's hopes briefly by striking immediately and earning an lbw decision against opener Matthew Bell with the third ball of New Zealand's reply.

But after that, England's fortunes nose-dived rapidly, with Fleming seizing control and taking particular pleasure in launching into Jimmy Anderson, who was hit for 45 runs in his final three overs of the session. Fleming blasted three fours and a six off successive Anderson balls and even when the bowler changed ends to replace left-arm seamer Sidebottom, the onslaught continued with a further 10 runs being hit off him.

Lancashire star Anderson could also claim to have been a little unlucky with Fleming, then on 44, being dropped by Andrew Strauss at first slip, a ball which flew to the boundary. The batsman completed his half-century with a cover drive for another four off the next ball.

By lunch, Fleming had progressed to an unbeaten 56, while opener Jamie How, who scored a century at this ground during the one-day series, had battled to 30, reducing England's first innings lead to just 160 runs.