London, May 16:

England openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook took their team to 26-0 to trail New Zealand by 251 runs at tea on Friday on the second day of the first Test at Lord’s.

New Zealand were dismissed after lunch for 277 on a day that had four stoppages for bad light. Strauss will resume after the break on 9 and Cook on 16.

New Zealand added 69 runs to their overnight tally of 208-6 with Ryan Sidebottom claiming all four wickets to fall on the second day. After enduring a wicketless first day, Sidebottom took 4-3 in 10.1 overs with seven maidens. He ended the innings with figures of 4-55.

Following Brendon McCullum’s run-a-ball 97 on Thursday, captain Daniel Vettori was the main contributor on Friday, making 48 in a 162-minute stay at the crease.

Vettori had struck three consecutive fours off James Anderson behind point when he inexplicably failed to play a stroke at a delivery from Sidebottom that cannoned into his middle stump.

England’s fast bowlers rediscovered in the morning session the same rhythm and discipline that had reduced New Zealand to 104-5 shortly before tea on Thursday. McCullum had then made the attack look ragged in the final session on Thursday to score 97.

Oram, who had received some sharp, short-pitched bowling from Anderson, was Sidebottom’s first wicket. The left-arm opening bowler got Oram to edge a ball to Strauss in the slips in his 24th over.

After taking the second new ball, Sidebottom struck again, uprooting Mills’ off stump to finish with figures for the session of 2-3 in 7.5 overs. Mills had hung around for 66 minutes and added 36 for the eighth wicket with Vettori.

After lunch, Sidebottom bowled Tim Southee but Chris Martin, despite not scoring a run, defied the attack long enough to help Vettori put on 17 runs for the final wicket.