England's new look line-up yesterday provided the same old storyline with another desperately disappointing batting performance leaving them facing a first innings deficit in the deciding Test at The Oval.
The injection of new blood which provided England with badly-needed impetus and enthusiasm yesterday and limited New Zealand to 170 for 8 overnight, degenerated into an all too familiar performance with bat and ball and put the tourists in control.
They firstly allowed New Zealand to add a priceless 66 runs to their overnight total with Daniel Vettori, their number 10 batsman, claiming his second half-century of the series in a 78-run partnership off just 98 balls with captain Stephen Fleming.
Frustrating as New Zealand's lower order resistance was, it paled in comparison to yet another desperate England collapse which keeps them on course for their 14th successive first innings deficit stretching back to the opening Test against South Africa last summer.
Since claiming that lead in Birmingham 14 months ago, England have passed 350 - widely regarded as a par first innings total - just twice in the subsequent 13 Tests and the quickfire dismissals of Alec Stewart, captain Nasser Hussain and Ronnie Irani in the space of 32 balls during the final session looks certain to extend that depressing sequence.
The further loss of Andrew Caddick, who at least provided some resistance in battling for over an hour for his 15 runs, left England still trailing by 86 at the close on 150 for 7 and in danger of suffering defeat.
Not for the first time England had flattered to deceive with openers Michael Atherton and newcomer Darren Maddy successfully negotiating the 12 overs until lunch without alarm only to both fall within four overs of the interval.
Vettori's tight bowling from the Pavilion End enabled New Zealand to rotate seamers Chris Cairns, Nash and left-armer Shayne O'Connor successfully and ensured England lost wickets at regular intervals.
Graham Thorpe added only nine runs before edging Cairns to Fleming from a delivery which bounced higher than he expected, continuing a miserable sequence of scores. Shouldering arms to a ball which he thought was spinning away, Alec Stewart was instead made to look rather foolish after it turned back into him and clipped his off-stump for 11 - the sixth time in the last nine Test innings he has failed to reach 50.
Hussain had displayed a greater acceptance of the discipline and determination needed to succeed in such conditions, battling for over two hours for his 40 before also being affected by the general slump. Cairns added another wicket soon after when he caught Irani leg before.
Thankfully Mark Ramprakash is well versed in attempting to bat with England's tail and coax them into scoring valuable runs down the order and Caddick responded superbly.
The pair played straight and with great responsibility, adding a priceless 47 runs before O'Connor, a replacement for back injury victim Geoff Allott, removed Caddick's off-stump with a delivery which slanted across him.
Alan Mullally, with seven ducks in his last 10 Test innings, cannot have provided Ramprakash with great reassurance when he strode to the crease with England on 141 for 7 but lasted the final 21 minutes to at least prevent any further losses.
