Cricket: Top order improves by degrees

OXFORD - New Zealand cricket coach Steve Rixon saw most of his team's top-order batting concerns, bar one, happily ease at the Parks in Oxford yesterday.

Rixon watched his batsmen plunder 4.5 runs an over on day two, to finish on 513 for six in their first innings against British Universities.

That gave New Zealand a first-innings lead of 282 going into the third and final day.

Matt Horne, Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle all scored centuries on a perfect batting pitch to give them some welcome confidence before the first test against England, which starts at Edgbaston next Thursday.

"It was nice to see the drought broken with a bit of a flood," Rixon said.

But poor form continues to dog Craig McMillan, who started the tour with a bang in World Cup lead-up games but has not shown much form since.

Yesterday he was bowled for one to leave him just one game, against Somerset at Taunton starting tomorrow night (NZ time), to get into form before the first test.

McMillan had his off stump uprooted when he played down the wrong line to a delivery, but Rixon is not pushing the panic button yet on McMillan's form slump.

"He was disappointing, but like the others it only takes an innings to get back into touch," Rixon said.

"Let's hope he gets a couple of innings in the next game and the chance to bat for some time."

Horne opened the batting with Matthew Bell, who was dismissed for 19. Then Horne added 245 for the second wicket with Fleming before Horne was caught for 133. Fleming was eventually caught by former New Zealand legspinner Greg Loveridge for 127, and Astle was caught on the boundary off Loveridge's bowling in the last over of the day for 100.

"Matt Horne looks very, very secure in the longer version of the game," Rixon said.

"He still struggles to get his one-day game in order but I never doubted he would make a test cricketer."

Rixon said Astle and Fleming showed glimpses of being back to their best touch.

"Nathan had an ideal opportunity which he didn't spoil. There were a couple of those trademark cover-drives which we enjoyed.

"There were some absolutely vintage Fleming shots, standing tall and playing through the on side," Rixon said.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori also continued his fine all-round game by scoring 70 not out batting at No 7 after taking five wickets on day one.

Loveridge took some punishment from the New Zealanders, ending with one for 158 from 32.4 overs. - NZPA