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MANCHESTER - Bit-part player Iain O'Brien put a compelling case for a more regular New Zealand test cricket role as he upstaged some more seasoned pacemen at Old Trafford.
The Wellington seamer was the foil his captain Daniel Vettori desperately needed as England collapsed to hand New Zealand
a 179-run first innings lead in the second test yesterday.
New Zealand then blew that advantage by folding for 114 in their second innings, setting England 294 to win when a target of 400-plus looked likely.
The hosts reached stumps at 76 for one to leave both sides contemplating an intriguing final day.
O'Brien was a late selection choice after Tim Southee struggled with a pre-test virus but felt he had done enough for consideration for the series-deciding third test in Nottingham.
"It's not a personal best but it's pretty close," he said of his figures of three for 49 off 23 overs in the first innings.
"In terms of conditions, pitch, match situation it's as good as I've ever bowled so I was pretty pleased about it."
O'Brien, 31, had played just six tests spread over three years going into Old Trafford after making his debut against Australia in 2005.
Since then, as he took regular wickets for Wellington, he became cast in a paceman's oft-hated role of into-the-wind specialist and took five for 57 in his previous test against Bangladesh at the Basin Reserve in January.
With the strong, chilly Manchester northeasterly howling down from the Brian Statham end in similar fashion to a Basin Reserve northerly, O'Brien felt strangely at home.
"That's my job, that's what I've learned to do bowling in Wellington for seven or eight years.
"This has been similar and it maybe blew a little bit harder today than it does at the Basin. It's what I've cut my teeth on and I certainly enjoy it because no one else wants to do it."
He proved a smart selection at Old Trafford as both sets of pacemen struggled to generate swing and both captains regularly requesting the Duke ball be changed as it softened and went out of shape.
O'Brien's ability to hit the pitch hard and generate seam movement, rather than swing, helped New Zealand no end as he removed openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, and Ian Bell who were all beaten by movement off the pitch.
He was also robbed of Kevin Pietersen's wicket when replays showed he edged a ball to gloveman Brendon McCullum, but no one else appealed and umpire Simon Taufel was unmoved.
At the other end Vettori took his test-best figures against England, five for 66 off 31 overs as he worked in tandem with O'Brien for the crucial first hour of the third day.
O'Brien said New Zealand's batting collapse, in which spinner Monty Panesar took a test best six for 37 and his 100th test wicket, was largely due to the dry, deteriorating pitch.
"We saw that when we bowled, Dan and I did all right and Kyle Mills chipped in with a couple. It's the nature of the pitch, not necessarily the individual involved, often.
"Our initial goal was a target of anything over 300. We weren't too fazed, pretty happy being near on 300 in front.
"No one's scored more than 231 to win a match here and on that deck it's going to be a hell of a chase. If they get it, well done, but I personally think we came out all right."
- NZPA
