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Cricket

Oram century foils England as Test ends in stalemate

19/05/2008

England were frustrated by a century from Jacob Oram as the first Test against New Zealand ended in a draw at Lords.

All-rounder Oram whacked 15 boundaries and two sixes as the tourists finished on 269-6.

Oram came to the crease at 120-4 after wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum was forced off with an elbow injury.

The Kiwis had a lead of 227 when bad light ended play at 17:04 BST, to end a Test which was hampered by driving rain on the first three days.

England will be disappointed with their fielding on the final day after dropping three catches.

Aaron Redmond was the first wicket to fall after edging a delivery from James Anderson to Andrew Strauss at slip for 17.

James Marshall soon followed for a duck after being trapped lbw by Ryan Sidebottom.

Ross Taylor rode his luck with an attempted leave clipping the end of his bat and flying between second and third slips, while Strauss then dropped a simple chance.

Taylor eventually fell lbw to Monty Panesar for 20 to leave the Black Caps on 99-3.

At the other end, Jamie How made a composed 68 off 131 before he nicked a delivery from Stuart Broad to Alastair Cook.

A vicious delivery from Broad then forced McCullum to retire, which brought Oram to the crease.

Oram reached his half-century off 67 balls but England will rue a missed chance when he edged a Sidebottom delivery between second and third slips.

After Anderson and Michael Vaughan both missed good run-out chances, Oram brought up his ton with a sweet cover drive off Sidebottom.

Sidebottom eventually got his revenge by bowling Oram while McCullum returned to the field but was dismissed by Anderson for 24, before bad light signalled the end of the Test.

The second Test of the three-match series starts on Friday at Old Trafford.