England undone by swing

Nick Compton, right, was bowled out for lbw by Tim Southee, centre, at Eden Park
23 March 2013

England were unable to combat conventional swing as they lost three wickets to lbws on the third morning of the final Test against New Zealand at Eden Park.

Tim Southee won verdicts against both overnight batsmen, Nick Compton and Ian Bell - and as the ball continued to deviate in the air, unlike for England on the first two days, Trent Boult (three for 42) also saw off Jonny Bairstow.

In reply to 443 all out, the tourists struggled to 92 for five after Joe Root and Matt Prior managed to stay put through the final hour of another sunny session in this potential series decider.

After a near strokeless innings on Friday night, Compton began the third day having made 12 runs from exactly 12 overs of strike.

He mustered one more run, and lasted another five balls, before Southee overturned umpire Paul Reiffel's initial not-out decision on DRS.

Southee had not struck for 89 overs in this series since he had Compton playing onto his stumps at the start of the first Test in Dunedin, but he beat Compton's forward-defence again here, and simulation demonstrated the ball would have clattered straight into leg and middle stumps.

Bell decided against a second review, after consultation with non-striker Root, when Southee got another one to nip in and beat the batsman stuck on the crease.

Bairstow, like Compton, was given not out - this time by Rod Tucker - pushing forward.

But Boult was already celebrating before even confirming his DRS intention, and it transpired the young Yorkshireman was plumb to another inswinger as England lost their third wicket for the addition of 11 runs.

New batsman Prior dug in to play against type, and Root also approached Compton's snail-pace strike rate as all but Boult conceded under two an over for the Kiwis. But England could be thankful for the mercy that wickets, as well as runs, had dried up.

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