Cricket: Craig brings Black Caps back into test

New Zealand's Trent Boult, centre right, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England's Ben Stokes, caught by Mark Craig. Photo / AP.

Mark Craig has delivered a convincing all-round display to bring New Zealand back into the second test against England.

The hosts are 253 for five in response to the visitors' 350.

In the absence of the injured Corey Anderson as a bowling option, Craig was expected to bowl more, but pressure had built after a return of two for 173 from 46 overs at Lord's.

"Knowing that we were a bowler short was significant, but I was relaxed and started landing a few."

Craig bowled with sustained control for figures of 22-10-38-1 in front of a packed Headingley Saturday crowd. He dismissed Alastair Cook lbw via review, which sparked a wicket cascade in the final session.

"I knew it was hitting him in line, but was it straightening enough?" Craig said. "Looking back it was pretty salmon [apparently cricket-rhyming slang for 'salmon and trout': out].

A couple of the boys weren't interested but I was confident and Brendon, being the way he is, was always going to have a crack. Thank goodness he did."

The off-spinner was helped by McCullum's bespoke fields to the left-handers of slip, leg slip, backward point, deep cover point, short cover, wide mid-off and mid-on, mid-wicket and square leg.

The dryness of the surface suggests it will continue to erode. The footmarks could become crucial to Craig's chances of helping bowl England out. However, in the final session, the pace bowlers took charge with the second new ball. New Zealand took three wickets for 17 runs.

"We've spoken the whole time, even at Lord's, about things happening quickly over here," Craig said. "Once we had one, we knew we could go bang, bang. Things can happen late in the day so you have to hang in and build pressure. We also get a second crack tomorrow with the new ball only eight overs old."

Earlier Craig anchored the lower order counterattack with 41 not out, accentuating his value at No.8. In 15 innings it was his fifth time getting beyond 40 and his fifth not out.

"The runs this morning were crucial, then, with the ball, it was nice to do a job after being disappointed with the way I bowled at Lord's. I knew I could bowl better. I slipped into rhythm quicker and bowled a bit fuller, whereas at Lord's I was a bit 'two lengths' and started getting hit off the back foot more than the front."

Craig also caught Ben Stokes at second slip off Boult with 11 deliveries left in the day, leaving him with minor bruising on otherwise safe hands.

# Ford, the driving force behind the Black Caps.