Cricket-England extend lead in second test v New Zealand

By Greg Stutchbury

WELLINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss extended England's lead to 250 at lunch on the third day of the second test against New Zealand on Saturday.

Cook, on two overnight, advanced to 50 while Strauss was on 31 as England moved to 106 for one in their second innings.

After scoring 342 in the first innings, England took a 144-run lead after James Anderson ripped through New Zealand's batting with five wickets, bowling them out for 198.

Cook was lucky to still be at the wicket when he nicked a Kyle Mills delivery into the slips where a diving Brendon McCullum was unable to hang on to the chance, though it appeared the ball would have carried to first slip Stephen Fleming.

Captain Michael Vaughan, who had been on nought overnight, fell in the same over when he nicked a Mills delivery to wicketkeeper McCullum, who took the straightforward catch.

Vaughan was out for 13, which reduced England to 21 for one and gave New Zealand's bowlers slim hopes of restricting the target their batsmen would need to chase to win the test.

Cook and Strauss, however, were watchful throughout their 85-run unbroken partnership and ensured the visitors could build a large lead with the hopes of bowling New Zealand out on the Basin Reserve wicket to level the three-test series.

New Zealand won the first test in Hamilton by 189 runs. the final match begins in Napier on March 22. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)