KEY POINTS:
Frustration with the cricket ball and the bone-chilling London weather accompanied the New Zealand players back to their swanky Hyde Park hotel yesterday.
Just 53 wicketless deliveries from Chris Martin and Kyle Mills were possible on day three of the first test against England at Lord's, which ended with the hosts 89 without loss in reply to NZ's first innings of 277.
It was enough time for England opener Alastair Cook to reach his 10th test half-century, and second against New Zealand, just before the rain.
There was frustration for the England Cricket Board too. Under ticket rules, if fewer than 10 overs are bowled in a day, spectators get a full refund.
Since they fell short by just seven deliveries, officials confirmed the ECB handed back a hefty £1.1 million ($2.78 million) in gate receipts to soaked patrons who packed the ground.
The last ball was bowled just after noon and play wasn't officially called off for another 5 1/2 hours as the rain poured and the mercury didn't top 14C.
For the players in the visitors' dressing room it meant watching NRL matches from Australia on television, then the FA Cup soccer final, where Portsmouth beat Cardiff 1-0.
Among the few highlights was the "outstanding lunch", in the words of paceman Mills, and a dressing-room visit from three big Kiwi sports names: Blackburn soccer star Ryan Nelsen, former Black Cap Chris Cairns and former All Black Chris Jack.
But the much-treasured Lord's test experience, being soaked up by seven of the team for the first time, was turning into a big disappointment with just 116.4 overs out of a possible 270 completed on the opening three days.
Mills said Cairns offered some valuable advice for each of the bowlers who toiled in vain for the first 30 overs of England's innings, baffled by the vagaries of the Duke ball.
Much like their previous tour four years ago, the ball - which is different to the Kookaburra they're accustomed to - was causing headaches.
"We've swapped the sides of the ball around with what side we're shining, but we just can't get it to go consistently," Mills said. "It is pretty frustrating because I'm generally a swing bowler and so is Tim Southee, and Chris Martin gets good movement away from the left-handers.
"For some reason this innings the ball hasn't swung like we know it can.
"From what we've heard, some [Duke] balls swing really nicely and some balls simply don't.
"In their innings Ryan Sidebottom bowled beautifully with the new ball but in the first innings he didn't swing it as much."
It's a pressing issue for the New Zealand pacemen as they eye the second test starting at a pacy Old Trafford in Manchester on Friday.
Mills felt he and Martin bowled much better, beating the bat several times, in their 8.5 overs on day three than they did the previous evening.
He said a standout individual performance, such as Brendon McCullum's 97 on day one, in the final two days at Lord's was important for the team's confidence heading to Manchester.
"If we bowl well and get wickets, or the batsmen score runs, it will give confidence to the whole unit to take into Old Trafford."
- NZPA
