Flintoff shows Thorpe the way on historic day

England 228 and 468-6 dec New Zealand 147 and 28

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Flintoff discovers his true position

The record sixth-wicket partnership by Graham Thorpe and Andrew Flintoff against New Zealand in the first Test here yesterday was remarkable in several ways. Not only did both players pass three figures, Thorpe recording the third-fastest double century of all time, but, for the first time in two generations of players, another country's bowling attack was thoroughly dominated from both ends.

Given that Ian Botham's pyrotechnics were often performed solo, you would probably have to go back to the Ashes series of 1985, when Graham Gooch, David Gower and Tim Robinson all had purple summers, to witness a similar run riot. Even then, the pitches did not begin as bowler-friendly as this, though it did flatten out, something England's bowlers also noticed second time around.

Back then, Australia had one of their weakest bowling attacks ever, and there were mitigating circumstances here, too. New Zealand have been badly affected by injuries, with three leading pace bowlers unavailable for this match. Throw into that tale of woe the injury to Chris Cairns' knee that prevented him from bowling at all on the third day, and conditions were set fair for some big runs on a pitch now relieved of its bowler-helpful moisture.

But even with all that discounted, the carnage was still spectacular, as the little and large of the side added 281 in 312 balls, a run-rate that verged on five-and-half runs per over. Records seem to come and go these days, and it was England's best for the sixth wicket, beating the previous benchmark of 240, also against New Zealand, set by Peter Parfitt and Barry Knight in 1963.

The tale of the master and his apprentice is embedded in folklore and might well have applied to Thorpe and Flintoff, had it not been the big all-rounder's sparkling start to his innings.

Flintoff's first six scoring shots were boundaries, including a cut six off the rookie pace bowler Ian Butler that sailed over cover point. Brutal in its execution, it gave England's rather aimless morning, in which three wickets were lost for 25 runs, some crucial momentum.

"I went out trying to avoid the pair," Flintoff insisted. "I never imagined that I'd finish with 130 odd. When I went out I decided to play positively and be busy, as that is what Fletch [the coach Duncan Fletcher] and people have told me to do. When I've failed in the past I've got out in the first 10 minutes so I haven't had time to find out if I was playing well or badly. It helped to bat with Thorpey who helped keep me going."

The altruism looked to be the other way around, at least at the start of their stand. Thorpe may have the highest average among current England batsmen, but he should not have reached double figures, let alone a double-hundred, after Nathan Astle dropped him second ball at second slip off Chris Drum. With another close call on 14, when he was almost run out by Craig McMillan after dawdling out of his crease, there is little doubt that it was Flintoff's bravura that drew him from his cocoon.

England had lost three wickets in inglorious circumstances when Flintoff strode to the crease. Given his timid offerings this winter ­ his last six Test innings read 0, 0, 4, 0, 4, 18 ­ the most even optimistic onlookers were expecting was a quick twenty. He did that before anyone had time to blink, least of all Butler, who obligingly played him in by bowling it full enough to meet the swing of his bat.

But something stirred in big "Freddie" and, instead of breathing a huge sigh of relief and then getting out, he sustained his assault without slogging, sending the Barmy Army into an orgy of appreciation. Indeed, once Thorpe raised his tempo to match him boundary for boundary, New Zealand's second-stringers came in for a fearful pasting which only slowed, and then briefly, when Flintoff was dismissed after miscuing a heave off Astle.

Indeed, with England declaring on 463 for 6 off 96.4 overs, the bowling figures were more in need of treatment than Cairns' knee.

With the stage now set for a solo scene, Thorpe plundered on to third place in the pantheon of brisk double-hundreds. In top spot is the remarkable Adam Gilchrist, who managed the feat off 212 balls against South Africa at the Wanderers a fortnight ago. Second is Thorpe's old friend Ian Botham, who, at The Oval in 1982, flayed Kapil Dev and Dilip Doshi to get there in 220 balls. Nipping at their heels is no disgrace and Thorpe will no doubt celebrate with Botham when the opportunity allows.

He deserves a knees-up too, for the left-hander has endured the break-up of his marriage as well as his bones. Having left the India tour just before the Second Test, a move that resulted in him separating from his wife, he has once again begun to devote to cricket the time it needs. Hopefully for England supporters and his team-mates, the scintillating innings here will have restored his faith in the occupation that has busied him since he was a teenager.

"It's great to make runs for the team, though it was very satisfying on a personal note as well," said Thorpe. "It's been a tough time for me, but I've had bags of support from the team and management. I got a hundred each for both of my children."

In the past, Thorpe had a reputation for making well-crafted 70s without never going on to the big score, though this has changed of late. Like Hussain, who hit a century in the first innings, this was his 10th three-figure score (in his 130th Test innings), though that fact alone did not even begin to tell the story.

Christchurch Scoreboard

Third day; New Zealand won toss

ENGLAND ­ First Innings 228 (N Hussain 106).

NEW ZEALAND ­ First Innings 147 (M J Hoggard 7-63).

ENGLAND ­ Second Innings

(Overnight: 63 for 2)

M A Butcher hit wicket b Butler 34

79 min, 50 balls, 3 fours

*N Hussain c Parore b Drum 11

37 min, 27 balls

G P Thorpe not out 200

330 min, 231 balls, 28 fours, 4 sixes

M R Ramprakash b Drum 11

33 min, 25 balls, 2 fours

A Flintoff c sub b Astle 137

214 min, 163 balls, 23 fours, 3 sixes

ÝJ S Foster not out 22

77 min, 44 balls, 5 fours

Extras (b6, lb4, nb10) 20

Total (for 6 dec, 422 min, 96.4 overs) 468

Fall (cont): 3-81 (Hussain), 4-85 (Butcher), 5-106 (Ramprakash), 6-387 (Flintoff).

Did not bat: A F Giles, A R Caddick, M J Hoggard.

Bowling: Drum 32-6-130-2 (nb2) (4-0-16-0, 8-2-27-2, 9-3-33-0, 4-0-24-0, 4-1-15-0, 3-0-15-0); Butler 23-2-137-3 (nb3) (13-2-61-3, 2-0-28-0, 3-0-27-0, 5-0-21-0); Cairns 4-0-8-0 (one spell); McMillan 10-0-66-0 (nb2) (2-0-6-0, 2-0-14-0, 3-0-25-0, 3-0-21-0); Astle 5.4-0-20-1 (nb1) (2-0-11-0, 2-0-3-1, 1.4-0-6-0); Vettori 22-3-97-0 (nb2) (one spell).

Progress: Third day: 100: 120 min, 26.4 overs. 150: 154 min, 33.3 overs. 200: 192 min, 42.5 overs. Lunch: 212-5 (Thorpe 62, Flintoff 55) 49 overs. 250: 242 min, 55.3 overs. 300: 270 min, 62.1 overs. 350: 315 min, 72 overs. Tea: 377-5 (Thorpe 142, Flintoff 129) 77 overs. 400: 373min, 85.4 overs. 450: 402 min, 92.1 overs. Declaration at 4.57pm.

Thorpe's 50: 75 min, 51 balls, 8 fours, 1 six. 100: 172 min, 121 balls, 17 fours, 1 six. 150: 267 min, 183 balls, 22 fours, 2 sixes. 200: 330 min, 231 balls, 28 fours, 4 sixes.

Flintoff's 50: 77 min, 49 balls, 9 fours, 1 six. 100: 156 min, 114 balls, 19 fours, 2 sixes.

NEW ZEALAND ­ Second Innings

M H Richardson not out 20

45 min, 35 balls, 4 fours

M J Horne not out 3

45 min, 28 balls

Extras (lb2, nb3) 5

Total (for 0, 45 min, 10 overs) 28

To bat: *S P Fleming, N J Astle, L Vincent, C D McMillan, C L Cairns, ÝA C Parore, D L Vettori, I G Butler, C J Drum.

Bowling: Caddick 5-1-20-0 (nb3); Hoggard 4-2-5-0; Giles 1-0-1-0 (one spell each).

Progress: Bad light stopped play 5.57pm.

Umpires: B F Bowden and E A R de Silva (Sri Lanka).