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Sidebottom provides a chink in the gloom
RYAN Sidebottom responded to a
rare sighting of his father at an
England match to become the
steady influence on a wayward
attack.
The Nottinghamshire left-arm
seamer was the best of a bad
bunch as England's seam attack
allowed New Zealand to dominate
the second day at Hamilton's
Seddon Park.
The 30-year-old finished with
four for 90 by claiming the final
two wickets off successive balls
as the Kiwis were finally dismissed
for 470 in mid-afternoon
and allowed England to reach 87
for two by the close.
Sidebottom's late reward
would have been particularly satisfying
because he could share
his success with his mother and
father, Arnie and Gillian, who
had never seen him bowl before
as an England player.
But former Yorkshire and England
seamer Arnie, an enthusiastic
supporter of Ryan's
throughout his career, may also
point out a disappointing opening
session when the tourists
failed to utilise a ball only ten
overs old.
He's never been one for pushing
me or interfering with my career.
He's always wanted me to
get on with it,'' said Sidebottom.
He's always had good words to
say and gives me encouragement,
but he does watch and if
something needs tinkering with
he'll always give me good advice
and that's been great for my career.
He's a bit of a nervous wreck
really and doesn't tend to watch
that much. He will stay at home
and watch the highlights and
point out the things I didn't do
the previous day.''
Top of the list for Sidebottom
senior, who also played 20 matches
for Manchester United as a
centre half, may have been England's
failure to pressurise New
Zealand from the start of the day,
which allowed Ross Taylor and
captain Daniel Vettori to forge a
record 148-run seventh wicket
stand for their country against
England.
Sidebottom was as culpable as
any of the bowlers during the
early stages, conceding 27 runs in
his opening six-over spell, which
included a half-hearted lbw appeal
against Vettori in the ninth
over. He had scored only 23 and
television replays suggested he
was out.
Sidebottom described it as a
mental block,'' but it was a costly
error for the tourists with Vettori
progressing to 88, providing
the early impetus for the partnership
and helping 23-year-old
Taylor progress to his maiden
Test century.
But he was by no means the
worst culprit with Matthew Hoggard
and Steve Harmison being
given only 13 overs between
them out of the 49 overs it took
to end New Zealand's resistance.
Harmison delivered another
bowling display which was almost
as flat as the wicket, averaging
only 80mph from his eight
overs in the day - a drastic reduction
in pace from a bowler
who was once regarded as the
fastest in the world.
Taylor, who hit 18 fours in his
120, regarded England's new
medium-paced bowler as a
bonus.
Harmison will be a hell of a
bowler to face when he is bowling
at 90mph,'' said Taylor.
England captain Michael
Vaughan became so frustrated
with his senior seamers that he
chose the left-arm spin of Monty
Panesar and medium-pace of
Paul Collingwood to at least offer
some control.
But it looked a desperate measure
when he turned to the parttime
off-spin of Kevin Pietersen,
only for him to claim a wicket
with his second ball when Taylor
offered a return catch off a mistimed
slog-sweep.
Vettori gave Collingwood his
second wicket with a late cut to
slip.
England at least started their
reply in steady fashion with
Vaughan and Alastair Cook
demonstrating the lifeless nature
of the pitch with an 84-run
opening stand.
That foundation was undermined,
however, with Cook
falling to a mis-timed pull to the
deep with five overs left.
9:17am Friday 7th March 2008
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