England endure spin examination
- 7 Mar 08, 06:14 AM
A desperately attritional day nevertheless had its own fascination as New Zealand’s spinners, Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel, managed to tie England’s batsmen up in knots.
This was achieved not by sharp spin or awkward bounce, but through subtle variation which, in Vettori’s case in particular, was beautiful to watch.
His dismissal of Andrew Strauss was a classic example of left arm spin; tossing the ball well above the left-hander’s eye-line and daring him to drive. Strauss, who had barely moved onto the front foot at any stage of his workmanlike 43, was lured into the trap, drove expansively and was bowled.
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