Anderson Rocks New Zealand

Anderson - man of the moment.

James Anderson vindicated his recall with a five-wicket haul as England bounced back strongly against New Zealand to dominate the second Test.

The 25-year-old Lancashire seamer was controversially recalled alongside Stuart Broad after the tourists decided to drop senior seamers Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard in the aftermath of the dismal 189-runs first Test defeat.

But Anderson claimed five for 73 on his return as England's new-look attack dismissed New Zealand for a lowly 198 in reply to their first innings total of 342 to establish a 144-runs first innings advantage at the Basin Reserve.

By the close of a second day which had included a maiden Test century for Tim Ambrose, England had extended that lead to 148 runs by reaching four without loss after surviving a testing five overs before the close.

The tourists had resumed on 291 for five with all eyes on Ambrose to see whether he could get the three runs required to end a run of 66 successive overseas Tests without a century from an England wicketkeeper.

He reached the landmark in streaky circumstances off the 19th ball of the day when he fended a Jacob Oram short ball off the shoulder of the bat down to the third man boundary for four.

But Ambrose was out in the next over, edging seamer Kyle Mills to slip for 102, as England added only 51 runs to their overnight total before being dismissed shortly before lunch with seamer Mark Gillespie finishing the innings with wickets off successive balls.

Disappointing in their failure not to reach a more substantial first innings total, Anderson quickly made it look a highly competitive score by dismissing both openers before lunch.

Matthew Bell fell to the fifth delivery of his comeback to a full-length ball which pitched on middle stump but swung away to hit his off-stump as he tried to clip through the on-side.

Jamie How became Anderson's second victim in the penultimate over before the interval when he was induced into edging behind to another swinging delivery while Mathew Sinclair fell in similar fashion shortly after the interval.

But New Zealand fought back strongly with former captain Stephen Fleming, playing his final Test at his home ground, forging an encouraging 71-run stand with Ross Taylor which threatened England's hopes of a substantial lead.

Both batsmen were given reprieves during a scrappy afternoon session with Fleming dropped by Paul Collingwood at second slip off Ryan Sidebottom for 18 and Taylor missed in the same position by the same player off Broad for 23.

Fleming was also given a further reprieve on 38 with Monty Panesar capping a desperate display in the field by failing to collect Kevin Pietersen's throw to the non-striker's end after the former New Zealand captain had been sent back for a quick single.

But just four overs after tea, Fleming's dreams of marking this Test with a farewell century were ended when he was caught in two minds by Anderson and looped the ball straight to point for 44.

Six overs later Taylor became Anderson's fifth victim of the innings, the fourth time he has achieved such a feat for England, when he tamely edged behind after battling for over two hours for his 53.

Brendon McCullum provided his customary counter-attack, hitting 25 off as many balls and shared in a half-century partnership brought up off only 31 deliveries with captain Daniel Vettori.

His edge to Andrew Strauss at slip off Broad, though, opened up an end which Collingwood exploited by claiming three late wickets to wrap up the innings and continue England's impressive response to their opening Test humiliation.