New Zealand 3-66 (Kane Williamson 32*, Hamsih Rutherford 23, Stuart Broad 2-18) trail England 465 (Jonathan Trott 121, Nick Compton 100, Matt Prior 82, Kevin Pietersen 73, Bruce Martin 4-130) by 399 runs

The visiting Englishmen removed three top order batsmen of New Zealand after piling up a sufficient first innings total on board and they are on top in the match.

England cumulated 465 runs in the first innings after utilizing 146.5 overs at a net run rate of 3.16 and the Black Caps managed 66 runs after losing three important wickets.

The second day’s play concluded on Friday, March 15, 2013, at Basin Reserve, Wellington.

Earlier, the tourists went into bat in a formidable position at 2-267 in 90 overs whereas Jonatahn Trott and Kevin Pietersen were unbeaten at 121 and 18 runs respectively. The hosts got the immediate breakthrough when Trott was gone at his overnight score of 121 on the first ball of the 91^st over. Ian Bell got together with Pietersen but they found it difficult to score the runs freely and reached 291 after 102 overs. Pietersen hit the first six of the match in the next over as Bell was caught by Peter Fulton off Bruce Martin for 11. The fourth wicket fell at 302 as Kevin Pietersen registered his 30^th Test fifty with a four in the 111^th over. Joe Root became the next victim at 325 after scoring 10 runs and was replaced by Matt Prior.

The run rate picked up and the boundaries started appearing regularly from the bats of the duo. Prior hit a couple of fours in the 120^th over which was the last one before the lunch break and the tempo was carried on after the interval as well. The smooth going Pietersen lost his wickets at 366 after contributing 73 off 149 balls with 1 six and 7 fours. Stuart Broad went out cheaply for just six runs as Steven Finn gave a nice support to Prior who was cruising well from the other end. Matt Prior hit a couple of fours in the 134^th over and completed his 25^th Test half century four overs later.  He added another 11 runs in the 141^st over with 1 six and 1 four as Finn hit 2 fours in the 144^th over.

Steven Finn lost his wickets for 24 as the total touched 457 and eight runs later Matt Prior was caught by Neil Wagner at short third man off Kane Williamson for 82 off 99 deliveries comprising 2 lofty sixes and 10 fours. The entire English side was bowled out for a healthy score of 465 in 146.5 overs.

Bruce Martin was the chief wicket taker with four whereas Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Kane Williamson shared two wickets each.

The Black Caps lost their first wicket early at 6 when Peter Fulton was gone for just one run as Kane Williamson associated with Hamish Rutherford. The first opened his account with a four as Rutherford hit his first boundary in the 9^th over. The pair tried to consolidate the innings with a positive approach and kept the score board moving at a reasonable pace. The score was taken to 46 in 21 overs when Stuart Broad got two valuable wickets on the consecutive deliveries of the next over. He got rid of Rutherford for 23 on the third ball of the 22^nd over and the ace batsman of the Kiwis, Ross Taylor was clean bowled for a duck.

Kane Williamson and Dean Brownlie saw the day off for the home side by scoring 8 and 32 runs respectively as the score board displayed 66 runs after 33 overs.

England is in total command of the Test as New Zealand still faces a deficit of 399 runs in the first innings and a couple of quick wickets on the third day can put the hosts in danger.