Over 61 - Oram 0-4-1-1-4-4 294-4 - Collingwood heaves the ball off his stumps through midwicket for his opening boundary. It took him 53 balls but was well worth the wait. A pair of singles is followed by Collingwood's second boundary, this time pulled to midwicket off the front foot. That leaves England needing one to win with one ball left before tea, can Collingwood do it? Yes he can, never doubted the man. A straight ball is worked down to the fine-leg boundary to complete the victory. England win by six wickets with five sessions to spare.

Over 60 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-0283-4 - We are almost certainly going to have a tea break after Bell blocks out a maiden from Vettori.

Over 59 - Oram 1-0-0-0-0-0 283-4 - Collingwood's attempt to locate the middle of his bat continues without success, Bell does at least collect a single with a pull though.

Over 58 - Vettori 0-1-0-2-0-0 282-4 - Tea is due at 1540h (BST), can England get it done in this session? Three are collected from the over courtesy of a single to Bell pushed into the covers off the back foot and Collingwood's sweep for two down to backward square-leg. England require 12 runs, tea is due in seven minutes and - under absolutely no circumstances (including the outbreak of nuclear war) - can it be delayed.

Over 57 - Oram 0-0-0-0-0-2 279-4 - Collingwood jams the bat down to keep out a (reverse) inswinging yorker. It is going straight from the hand, not exactly Waqar Younis. A couple for Collingwood down to backward square-leg leaves England needing another 15 runs.

Over 56 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-4-0 277-4 - Bell takes advantage of a short ball, rocking back and smacking it through the off-side in front of square. Vettori has probably bowled it too slow today. Panesar said this morning that he had pushed it through a bit quicker during New Zealand's second innings and Vettori should probably have followed suit.

Over 55 - Oram 1-0-0-0-0-0 273-4 - A single for Bell into the covers is followed by five blocks from Collingwood, who looks as if he's getting progressively closer to finding the middle of his bat, but has not done so yet. England require 21 runs.

Over 54 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-0 272-4 - Vettori continues to torment Collingwood with a maiden. The new ball is now available but it looks like the Black Caps are continuing with the old one for the moment.

Over 53 - Oram 0-0-0-0-0-4 272-4 - Mike Tipper has pointed out that it is Collingwood's 32nd birthday today, he's not celebrating it in much style at the moment. Oram is back on and concedes four from the final delivery as Bell helps it down to the fine-leg fence.

Over 52 - Vettori 0-0-2-0-0-2 268-4 - Collingwood is struggling so badly that he can't even get himself out. He does eke out a pair of twos, both of the edge of his bat on either side of the wicket, making Bell scamper to avoid a run out on the second occasion.

Over 51 - O'Brien 0-0-0-1-0-0 264-4 - Collingwood is fortunate to chip a slower ball just out of O'Brien's reach. It gets worse for the bowler, who - two balls later - manages to grass the easiest of return catches after Bell drove too early at another slower ball. He just closed his hands too early because the ball was travelling so slowly. "That was easier to catch than drop," says Ian Botham.

Over 50 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-3 263-4 - It's torture for Collingwood at the moment, he doesn't look as if he's ever faced a spinner before in his life. A series of hopeful pokes and prods culminate with him finally laying willow on leather with a chopped defensive stroke that runs away for three to third-man, taking him past 9,000 first-class runs in the process.

Over 49 - O'Brien 0-0-4-4-0-0 260-4 - Back-to-back boundaries for Bell relieve the pressure that had been building. O'Brien's half-tracker is dealt with dismissively by the Warwickshire batsman, who follows up with a sweetly timed stroke off his pads that races away to midwicket. England require another 34 runs.

Over 48 - Vettori 1b-0-1-0-0-0 252-4 - Collingwood looks as horribly out of form as his recent statistics suggest. His attempt to hit a delivery outside his off-stump misses by the width of another bat.

Over 47 - O'Brien 0-0-0-0-0-0 250-4 - Bell is content to defend out a maiden, he's faced 10 deliveries and is yet to get off-the-mark. New Zealand have come to life in the field for the first time, surely too late. The Kiwis lost their last seven wickets for 29 runs yesterday so England are not quite home yet.

Over 46 - Vettori 0-1-0-0-2-0 250-4 - Wicket! Pietersen is run out after coming back for a risky second run - Martin at fine-leg fires the return in low, under the wind and McCullum whips off the bails to leave Pietersen just short of his ground. Paul Collingwood, averaging three in first-class cricket this season, walks out and is fortunate to survive a huge lbw shout from the final delivery of the over. He failed to pick the arm ball and looked plum in front, but umpire Simon Taufel is unmoved.

Over 45 - O'Brien 0-4-2-4-1lb-0 247-3 - Pietersen finds the boundary twice - once with a whip through midwicket and, two balls later, edged down to the vacant third-man fence. England require a further 47 runs.

Over 44 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-1-0 236-3 - Pietersen, who has been joined in the middle by Ian Bell, cuts for a single as Vettori continues to toil away without success. This innings has seen a return to a more positive approach from England's top order after they got bogged down and then collapsed first time around.

Over 43 - O'Brien 4-0-0-W-0-0 235-3 - Wicket! Strauss chases a wide delivery and edges low to Taylor at first slip, who holds a superb catch moving to his left. Strauss receives a warm round of applause from the hardy souls who have braved the weather to come and watch today. He leaves with the job not quite done, England require a further 59 runs, anyone think they can mess it up? I would put the chances on a par with me pulling Ana Ivanovic.

Over 42 - Vettori 1-1-0-0-1-0 231-2 - Vettori's bowling has been the disappointment of the day, he hasn't looked like taking a wicket and has spectacularly failed to follow Panesar's lead from yesterday. He bowled much better in the first innings, hard to fathom New Zealand's lifeless performance.

Over 41 - O'Brien 0-1-0-0-0-4 228-2 - Century! Strauss completes his 12th Test century (178b 11x4) with a single down to fine-leg, a valuable - if not particularly attractive - knock from the left-hander, who is now fully re-established at the top of England's order. Pietersen finishes the over with a baseball-style pull that goes to the mid-on boundary.

Over 40 - Vettori 4-1-2-4b-1-0 223-2 - Switch of ends for Vettori, who promptly concedes 12 runs. Pietersen dispatches a full-toss pastmid-off, a misdirected delivery heads down to fine-leg for four byes, and Strauss reaches 99 with two into the gully region followed by a single tucked to square-leg.

Over 39 - O'Brien 0-0-1lb-0-4-0 211-2 - Poor old Mills (is he injured?) is overlooked again and O'Brien returns for a second spell. Strauss moves within one hit of three figures by throwing his hands through a wide delivery to find the cover boundary.

Over 38 - Martin 0-0-0-0-0-1 206-2 - Martin seems the sort of guy who will run in all day regardless, although his pace is well down on usual at the moment. The wind has strengthened further since the lunch interval, it doesn't look much fun at all for the fielders, let alone the umpires and spectators.

Over 37 - Vettori 0-0-1-4-0-4 205-2 - New Zealand look a beaten team already as Strauss twice finds the boundary to take England past the 200 mark and himself into the 90s. The first boundary is fetched over midwicket, while the second is cut behind square. In case you were wondering (not likely), Kyle Mills is indeed on the field but has yet to be asked to bowl today, nice work if you can get it. England require 89 to win.

Over 36 - Martin 0-0-1lb-4-0-0 196-2 - Martin's pace is down in the low 80s (mph), although it still races off the bat quickly enough as Strauss lays into one of his favourite square cuts.

Over 35 - Vettori 6-0-0-0-0-1 191-2 - Pietersen takes a step down and hits through the line, with the wind behind, it easily carries for six. In just his 38th Test, Pietersen is now third on the all-time list of English six hitters - just Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff above him.

Over 34 - Martin 1-0-0-2-2-0 184-2 - Oram misfields in comic big-man fashion to allow Strauss to turn one into two. The left-hander celebrates with another couple from the next delivery and guess what? Both were worked into the leg-side.

Over 33 - Vettori 0-0-2-0-0-0 179-2 - Vettori looks more dangerous bowling into the wind, getting the ball to dip late in the flight. Strauss picks off a couple more to square-leg to keep the scoreboard in motion.

Over 32 - Martin 1-0-4-0-0-0 177-2 - Martin overpitches to allow Pietersen to drive through extra cover in glorious style with an-almost 360 degree swing of the bat. Mark Hunter has e-mailled in pondering who should win the man-of-the-match award with Ross Taylor and Monty Panesar being the main candidates thus far. If Strauss gets England home with a century then his name is also in the equation. Panesar rescued the game for England yesterday so should probably get it if England do end up winning. Use the FEEDBACK or graham.mair@bskyb.com to send your view.

Over 31 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-0 172-2 - Vettori has switched ends and will bowl into the breeze with mid-off three-quarters of the way back. The theory, presumably, is to tempt Pietersen to try and go over the top (with the wind behind his shot). There is almost a run out as Pietersen bales after advancing a couple of steps, the ball gets padded to short-leg who immediately fired at the stumps. It would have been out with a direct hit.

Over 30 - Martin 0-0-0-1-0-0 172-2 - Now or never for New Zealand as the shaven-headed Martin starts after lunch. Pietersen walks right in front of his stumps and picks off a single into the leg-side, would have been plum had he not made contact.

LUNCH England added 95 runs in 29 overs this morning for the loss of just Michael Vaughan to reach 171-2 and turn themselves into strong favourites. They will resume at 1340h (BST) requiring a further 123 to move 1-0 up in the series. The expected terrors in the pitch have not materialised and New Zealand appear very subdued and lacking self-belief, perhaps not helped by yesterday's batting collapse.

Over 29 - Oram 0-0-0-0-4-0 171-2 - Strauss edges down to third-man for his seventh boundary to complete a session that has been dominated by England.

Over 28 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-0 167-2 - Pietersen is stretching right forward to counter the threat of Vettori, who has been a bit of a disappointment this morning. He's not really turned it, certainly nothing like the rip Monty was putting on it yesterday.

Over 27 - Oram 2-0-0-1lb-0-0 167-2 - Pietersen walks across his stumps and picks up a couple to midwicket. England require a further 127 and must be considered strong favourites now (Skybet make England 1/9, New Zealand 5/1 and the draw 50/1).Over 26 - Vettori 4lb-0-0-1-0-2 164-2 - Martin's reward for taking a wicket is to be whipped out of the attack. Vettori wants first crack at Pietersen, who he had caught at slip in the first innings. The Black Caps skipper appeals long and loud for lbw as Pietersen shuffles across and tries to work off his legs - the ball runs away to the fine-leg fence and the signal is leg-byes, must have been close.

Over 25 - Oram 0-1-0-0-0-0 157-2 - The nearest parallel to this run chase that I could find in recent England v New Zealand Tests was at Christchurch in February 1997. On that occasion Michael Atherton's century allowed England to chase 305 to win by four wickets (the two survivors from that match on the field at Old Trafford today are Vettori - who took 4-94 in 57 overs of the second innings - and umpire Hair).

Over 24 - Martin 0-W-0-0nb-0-1-4 156-2 - Wicket! Vaughan edges behind to give Martin his reward for a testing spell. It was full and tempted the England captain to throw his hands into a drive, the resulting edge gave McCullum a simple catch. Kevin Pietersen strolls out and immediately plays-and-misses outside off-stump. Pietersen digs out a yorker and takes off for a 'Red Bull' single to mid-on to get off-the-mark. Strauss finishes the over by turning a delivery from outside off-stump down to the fine-leg boundary.

Over 23 - Oram 0-0-1-0-0-0 150-1 - Vaughan brings up the collective 150 with his new speciality - the quick single, this time to midwicket.

Over 22 - Martin 4-3-0-0-0-0 149-1 - Vaughan pokes an edge over gully for four after a delivery took off from just back of a good length. He follows up by easing three to midwicket. Strauss is then beaten twice outside off-stump to cap an excellent but frustrating over for Martin.

Over 21 - Oram 0-0-0-0-0-1 142-1 - Oram is probably the most boring bowler in the world to watch, not quick but relentlessly accurate (the most economical in Test cricket at the moment), lulling batsmen into a mistake is his stock trade.

SPITTING A couple of people (Derek Tripp and Mark Pearson) have complained about the players propensity for spitting, with Vettori being singled out as a particular culprit. Have to say that it doesn't bother me at all, you should try watching baseball if you think cricketers enjoy clearing their throats.

Over 20 - Martin 0-0-0-4-2-0 141-1 - Strauss rediscovers the existence of the off-side, leaning into an extra cover drive. Don't need to run for those. England require another 153 runs to take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series.

Over 19 - Oram 0-0-4-0-0-0 135-1 - Vaughan twice narrowly avoids holing out to Jamie How at cover point. On the first occasion he drove too early, on the second a leading edge dropped just short. In between, the England skipper stood up on his tip-toes and sent a cut racing away just in front of square for his fourth boundary. Ian Smith in the commentary box reckons New Zealand need three wickets before lunch to get back in the game.

Over 18 - Martin 2-0-0-0-0-0 131-1 - Martin is belatedly given an opportunity with the wind at his back. He goes round-the-wicket and is immediately picked off for a couple into the leg-side by Strauss, who seems to be ignoring the entire off-side of the ground with his 'strokeplay' (expect the odd edge down to third-man).

Over 17 - Oram 0-1-0-0-3-0 129-1 - Strauss picks up three off his pads as a stony-faced Oram continues to plough his way into the headwind. Time for a drinks break, also time for Vettori to give his side the hairdryer treatment, the first hour has been all England.

'WORKSHY ENGLISHMEN' One or two e-maillers are not happy with Keith's (in Belgium)earlier comment. Darren responds: "I would also like to remind Keith that this year Belgium has around 14 bank holidays scheduled on non-weekends. England has 8 - and I am in work on one of these today."

Over 16 - Vettori 0-1-1-1-0-3 125-1 - Vettori goes over-the-wicket to Strauss. It's a ploy that doesn't work, allowing the left-hander to twice pick off singles square on the leg-side. Vaughan drives through mid-on for three to end the over. The skies have darkened somewhat in that past 10 minutes, although the clouds remain very high so rain doesn't look likely for the time being.

Over 15 - Oram 0-0-0-0-0-0 119-1 - Oram looks extremely stiff while working his way through a maiden, including a delivery that tempts Vaughan to flirt unsuccessfully outside his off-stump. Not sure the big man is overly thrilled to be bowling into the wind, and why would he be?

Over 14 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-1-0 119-1 - I've never seen Vaughan so keen to run quick singles, he picks up another one into the covers. Looks like Oram is coming into the attack, no idea why Vettori doesn't give Martin - easily his quickest bowler - a burst.

BEER Steve e-mails in to say: "I would just like to point out to Keith from Belgium that all Englishmen are not on holiday today. I work in a brewery and we have to brew the beer so all the Englishmen at the cricket can get plastered."

Over 13 - O'Brien 0-4-0-0-0-0 118-1 - Strauss runs the ball down to third-man to complete his half-century (105b 4x4). That prompts O'Brien to try his luck over the wicket without any sign of success. It must be time for Vettori to shake things up, New Zealand look like they're just waiting to die at the moment.

Over 12 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-1 114-1 - Umpire Hair couldn't be less interested in an appeal for a catch at short-leg off Strauss, pad only, although the delivery turned sharply.

Over 11 - O'Brien 0-0-0-1-0-0 113-1 - Strauss tucks a single off his pads to leave England requiring a further 181. Have had a quick look at run chases in the last five years at Old Trafford and it is good reading for England. They chased 231 for a seven-wicket victory against West Indies four years ago (Rob Key got 93no!), while West Indies and Australia have both made big scores (394ao and 371-9) batting last on this ground without winning. The only negative is the 2001 Test against Pakistan when England were bowled for 261 chasing 370.

Over 10 - Vettori 5-0-0-0-0-0 112-1 - More comedy fielding gifts England four overthrows. Strauss was called through for a quick single and McCullum's shy at the non-striker's end raced away to the boundary with nobody interested in backing it up.

Over 9 - O'Brien 0-0-1-0-0-0 107-1 - Vettori has more faith in O'Brien than me and continues with him for the time being. Just a single for Strauss due to some poor fielding from Black Caps skipper at mid-off. The tourists' fielding has not been very good so far this morning.

A VIEW FROM BELGIUM Keith Newman has e-mailled in to say: "Bank Holiday? Pah. Not here in Belgium it isn't! Unlike these work-shy Englishmen able to watch the cricket on TV from the comfort of their own living rooms, I am once again forced to sneak glimpses at the desktop scorecard at work. Still, as I am unable to see for myself the extent to which Vettori is torturing the England right-handers, I am able to be wildly optimistic. I'm going for a quick-fire Pietersen century whilst the middle-order crumble around him, leaving Monty to score the winning runs this afternoon."

Over 8 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-0nb-0 106-1 - A much better over from Vettori is only slightly marred by a solitary no-ball. He does seem to bowl a lot of them for someone with afive-pace run up.

Over 7 - O'Brien 0-2-3-2-0-0 105-1 - The runs are flowing for England in the last 10 minutes - not sure if it's the heavy roller - but the pitch has looked absolutely fine thus far, may have more to do with the below-par standard of the bowling. Time for O'Brien to take a rest I reckon.

Over 6 - Vettori 1-2-3-4nb-0-0-1 98-1 Vaughan puts pressure on New Zealand's fielders, turning one into two, and then two into three - not something you see very often from the England captain and his dodgy knee. Worse follows from Vettori as a no-ball is eased through the covers to bring England within 200 of victory, a single from the final ball leaves them needing a further 196 runs.

Over 5 - O'Brien 0-0-4-0-0-0 86-1 - New Zealand complain to the umpires about the ball - not entirely sure what the complaint was (not swinging?) - but it has been changed, apparently it had gone out of shape. O'Brien finds Strauss' outside edge with the first delivery with the new (old) ball, although it drops well short of the slips. Strauss then finds the third-man boundary with a thick outside edge from a hard-handed drive.

Over 4 - Vettori 0-0-0-0-0-0 82-1 - Good judgement from Vaughan, leaving well alone outside off-stump during a Vettori maiden. England opted to have the heavy roller on the pitch prior to the start of play - groundsman Pete Marron is of the opinion that might subdue the surface for an hour or two. Not convinced the roller makes any difference to the pitch at all when it's used for such a short period.

GET IN TOUCH If you've anything to say about the cricket or anything else then please send in your views using the FEEDBACK icon or go straight to my inbox on graham.mair@bskyb.com. Is there a better way to spend a Bank Holiday than watching the scorecard tick over on your PC? Can't think of one myself.

Over 3 - O'Brien 0-1-0-0-0-0 82-1 - The wind chill factor makes it a cold day in Manchester (9 degrees) despite the fact the ground is bathed in sunshine. Vaughan gets a single after an inside edge dribbles onto the leg-side, O'Brien is getting some in-seam to the right handers. Further good news for New Zealand concerns Jacob Oram, who is fit to bowl today if required.

Over 2 - Vettori 0-1-0-0-1-0 81-1 - ''Let's have Straussy early lads," chirps Brendon McCullum as Vettori prepares for the start of what is probably going to be a long spell. England look keen to get the scoreboard ticking over, stealing a couple of sharp singles with drop-and-runs into the leg-side.

Over 1 - O'Brien 0-1-2-0-0-0 79-1 - O'Brien, New Zealand's into-the-wind specialist, is handed the first over of the day and sees a decent lbw shout against Vaughan turned down by umpire Darrell Hair. It kept low and jagged back but was just missing leg-stump. I may have underestimated the strength of the wind, it is an absolute howling north-easterly gale out there (gusts of up to 50mph according to local expert David Lloyd).

WEATHER WATCH The sun is out and things look set fair for a full day's play. There is a strong wind out in the middle, not sure whose hands that plays into - Iain O'Brien seemed to relish toiling away into a gale during the first innings.

PITCH REPORT Not good from England's point of view, not quite a minefield but plenty to encourage Daniel Vettori in particular. The deck remains hard but is very dry and there are some widening cracks. The bounce is likely to be untrustworthy, at least New Zealand only have one bowler, Chris Martin, capable of breaking 85mph.

GOOD MORNING Welcome to over-by-over commentary from the fourth day of the second Test at Old Trafford. After 16 wickets tumbled yesterday - 10 of them tospinners - England resume at 76-1 chasing 294 for victory. Andrew Strauss (27no) and Michael Vaughan (12no) will be the men making their way to the middle at 1100, join us then.

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