A tale of contrasting fortunes for the men of bat and glove

Tallulah's test, as this match may be remembered in celebration of the England captain's new daughter, could also be recorded as a tale of two wicket-keepers. While Michael Vaughan and England coach Duncan Fletcher were smiling in vindication of their judgement, preferring Geraint Jones, the batsman-keeper, to Chris Read, the keeper-batsman, the New Zealanders were quietly shaken.

Tallulah's test, as this match may be remembered in celebration of the England captain's new daughter, could also be recorded as a tale of two wicket-keepers. While Michael Vaughan and England coach Duncan Fletcher were smiling in vindication of their judgement, preferring Geraint Jones, the batsman-keeper, to Chris Read, the keeper-batsman, the New Zealanders were quietly shaken.

They, too, went down the same road when they backed 23-year-old Brendon McCullum, from Otago. In three Tests against South Africa he hit two half-centuries and finished with an average of 36. In the first Test of this series, at Lord's, his defiant 96 from No 3, in the second innings, embellished that record.

But what a disaster McCullum's wicketkeeping has been here. On Saturday he missed a schoolboy catch off Marcus Trescothick when England's first centurion was on 52.

Yesterday, with Jones on 30, McCullum punched away a snick from under first slip's nose. Less costly was another drop, of Matthew Hoggard, on two. If all this wasn't sufficient embarrassment, the 62 extras in this innings were a record for a Test match here.

New Zealand do have another wicket-keeper in the party, 27-year-old Gareth Hopkins from Canterbury. It is planned for Hopkins to take over from McCullum after the first three one-day internationals, which begin on 24 June, while McCullum flies home for his family's first baby.

Opening batsman Michael Papps can keep wicket but has a broken left knuckle and did not bat in the second innings yesterday evening. With bowlers Shane Bond going home and Jacob Oram under treatment, New Zealand could ill afford to lose another bowler when spinner Daniel Vettori, fielding in front of the West Stand, left the field with a suspected torn hamstring that could end his tour.

Vettori had been taking stick from the fans, some of whom saw in him a resemblance to Harry Potter, and his departure broughtsympathetic applause.

The pitch is, according to Andrew Flintoff, "up and down and I had to scrap hard to get runs so I was delighted when Geraint reached his first century. It was thoroughly deserved.''

On such a surface, with the batsman unsure of the bounce, no keeper's job is secure, yet criticism of this pitch is made to look ridiculous by the successive first innings totals, 409 and 526.

By yesterday evening New Zealand had to call on two Yorkshire second players, Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah, to supplement their fielders. Today's prospects were not improved when Stephen Fleming, opening the innings, took a nasty blow on the hand from Steve Harmison.

It was a bruising day for the Kiwis but a good day for cricket. Those in the vilified West Stand were in good cheer and making noise in celebration of some achievement, they were up with the scorecard and hugely appreciative of Flintoff and Jones.

Adults will be admitted today for £10, senior citizens and students for £5 and children under 16, who should be at school, free of charge.