Black Caps stay on top

Brendon McCullum multiplied England's misery with some characteristic big hitting, before leaving them to bat for five and a half sessions to salvage a draw in the first Test.

New Zealand already had a mammoth first-innings lead of 235 in the bag on 402 for seven by start of play on day four at the University Oval.

But their captain chose to bat on, before the declaration came on 460 for nine with the tourists needing 293 runs to make the Kiwis bat again - with more than 180 overs remaining in this rain-shortened match. New Zealand were intent on quick runs on another cool and cloudy morning, and McCullum (74) knew he was the perfect man for the job.

So it proved as he smashed 30 more runs from just 17 balls, including two sixes off James Anderson and one of Stuart Broad.

He began with a mighty pull off Broad high into the trees at deep square-leg, and then repeated the dose off Anderson at the other end before also striking him high over long-off for good measure.

Debutant tailender Bruce Martin was no slouch either, in a stand of 77 which ended when McCullum aimed another huge hit at Broad (three for 118) but succeeded only in propelling the ball vertically.

Anderson was the man under the skier at mid-wicket, and his hands were mercifully safe.

Still New Zealand pressed on until Martin was ninth out, caught behind trying to pull and giving Steven Finn his only wicket of the innings.