You are in > manchester.com  > News > Skipper Vaughan admits England need to improve fielding

Cricket

Skipper Vaughan admits England need to improve fielding

19/05/2008

Michael Vaughan has admitted England need to improve their fielding after the first Test against New Zealand at Lords ended in a draw.

The tourists finished on 269-6 at the close thanks to a swashbuckling century from Jacob Oram.

England spurned three catches while Vaughan and James Anderson were both guilty of failing to pick up the ball cleanly for run-out chances.

Vaughan, who hit a century in England's first innings, said the three days of rain gave his side too much of a challenge to force a result.

"We knew we'd have to hold our chances, we created a few opportunities but weren't quite good enough," Vaughan said.

"But there were lots of good things and if we improve a little bit more then the next Test should be good.

"That was the moment where we created the chance to go on and win the game but it didn't go quite to hand.

"Certainly we would have liked more cricket as you can't force results in Test matches losing that many overs."

England have called up Hamshire's Chris Tremlett for Friday's second Test at Old Trafford, replacing the injured Matthew Hoggard.

Meanwhile, Oram hailed his knock of 106 off 120 balls as the proudest moment of his career.

"I rode my luck a bit and I don't care how it looked because at the end of the day it's a hundred and it's on the honours board now," the 29-year-old said.

"I've been pretty lean for runs lately. That's why they call it Test cricket. It's a good challenge and I'm just so proud to come out the other side in a positive way."