England's Ryan Sidebottom took a hat trick to spark a spectacular collapse by New Zealand and leave the first Test finely balanced after the fourth day's play on Saturday. Sidebottom dismissed Stephen Fleming (66), Mathew Sinclair (two) and Jacob Oram (0) on successive deliveries to reduce New Zealand from 99-1 to 119-7 in the final session at Seddon Park. New Zealand finished the day on 147 for eight with two wickets remaining, an overall lead of 269 after England was bowled out for 348 just after lunch. Paul Collingwoood top-scored for England with 66 while debutant Tim Ambrose made 55. Sidebottom finished with figures of five for 37 off 14 overs and Monty Panesar three for 33, while New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was not out on 13 with Jeetan Patel on six. Prior to Sidebottom's display, the hosts had been racing along looking to set a target in excess of 300 by stumps for England to chase on the final day on a pitch that is producing noticeable turn. After Matthew Bell was dismissed for a duck on the third ball of the innings when he got a faint edge to a Sidebottom delivery and wicketkeeper Ambrose took a simple catch, Fleming and How put on a 98-run second-wicket partnership. The pair made a mockery of England's protracted batting display (173.1 overs to score 348) to race through to 99 for one before How was brilliantly caught by Matthew Hoggard in the deep off Sidebottom to spark the collapse. Hoggard had to run at least 20 meters and took the catch high above his head with both feet off the ground to dismiss the opener for 39. The left-armer then had Fleming caught behind point by a diving Alastair Cook for 66 on the final ball of his ninth over. He then had Sinclair caught by a diving Cook for two on the first ball of his next over, before he trapped Jacob Oram in front for a duck to complete the hat trick. Ross Taylor was then caught and bowled for six by Panesar, who then trapped Kyle Mills in front for 11, before Patel and Vettori guided their side through to the close. Fleming said he would be disappointed if there was no push for and an England victory. “They have been out of the game for four days and to be presented an opportunity and not take it would be staggering,” Fleming told reporters. ScoreboardNew Zealand (1st innings) 470 England (1st innings) Cook c sub (Horsley) b Martin 38 Vaughan c McCullum b Patel 63 Hoggard c Fleming b Martin 02 Strauss b Vettori 43 Pietersen c and b Vettori 42 Bell b Mills 25 Collingwood lbw Oram 66 Ambrose c Fleming b Patel 55 Sidebottom not out 03 Harmison c Fleming b Patel 00 Panesar lbw b Mills 00 Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 6) 11 Total (all out; 173.1 overs) 348 Falls: 1-84 (Cook), 2-86 (Hoggard), 3-130 (Vaughan), 4-159 (Strauss), 5-203 (Bell), 6-245 (Pietersen), 7-335 (Collingwood), 8-347 (Ambrose), 9-347 (Harmison), 10-348 (Panesar). Bowling: Martin 32-15-60-2, Mills 21.1-6-61-2, Patel 43-14-107-3 (1nb), Oram 21-9-27-1, Vettori 56-17-88-2 (5nb) New Zealand (2nd innings) How c Hoggard b Sidebottom 39 Bell c Ambrose b Sidebottom 00 Fleming c Cook b Sidebottom 66 Sinclair c Cook b Sidebottom 02 McCullum c Strauss b Panesar 00 Taylor c & b Panesar 06 Oram lbw b Sidebottom 00 Vettori not out 13 Mills lbw b Panesar 11 Patel not out 06 Extras (lb 4) 04 Total (for 8; 48 overs) 147 Falls: 1-1 (Bell), 2-99 (How), 3-109 (Fleming), 4-110 (McCullum), 5-115 (Sinclair), 6-115 (Oram), 7-119 (Taylor), 8-141 (Mills). Bowling: Sidebottom 14-4-37-5, Hoggard 12-3-29-0, Collingwood 6-1-20-0, Harmison 4-0-24-0, Panesar 12-2-33
