Batting test ahead for England on last day against Otago

England's batsmen will have a definite chance for exoneration if the weather gods are kind to them on the last day of their National Bank tour match with Otago at Queenstown's Events Centre tomorrow.

Due to the extended hours caused by loss of play today, there could be a minimum of 105 overs to be played, and with Otago finishing day two only three runs behind England's first innings total there is every chance of, at the best a lively finish and at the least, a lengthy batting display from England's Test contenders.

England were dismissed for 153 and by stumps, Otago were 150/6, the main note of satisfaction being the bowling of Andy Caddick, Andrew Flintoff and Craig White.

Caddick especially, after being dropped from the one-day side after the first match against New Zealand, made the most of his chance.

He took four for 42 from his 18 overs.

He bowled seven overs before finally finding his rhythm, a significant step in the side's preparation for the first Test starting next week.

"It took me about seven overs to really hit my straps and get myself going but it finally came through and in the last few overs I got myself back into rhythm," Caddick said.

"I was struggling to get my rhythm going, trying this, trying that to get it clicked in," he said.

"I'm looking forward just continuing bowling for the next couple of days," he said.

Conditions would be better for England batting a second time as the pitch had dried out and wasn't moving as much off it, although there was still some swing in the air.

"I missed out on the one-dayers and that was my sort of training ground for the Test matches coming up but that happens," Caddick said.

"Matthew Hoggard did a great job in the one-dayers but not it is my turn to get stuck in for the Tests.

"You can bowl in the nets as much as you want but when you are bowling against the opposition and totally different batsmen than your team-mates, it does help to get out there and bowl against them," he said.

The start to England's day which saw 75 overs bowled, was notable mainly for some lower order substance to their batting, provided by Warren Hegg and Richard Dawson.

They added 43 runs for the eighth wicket before Otago's man of the moment, Craig Pryor had Hegg caught at second slip by Simon Beare for 32, and the dismissal was repeated next ball when James Ormond produced a copy cat shot.

Dawson hit out with Caddick as his last batting partner and 22 runs were added before Caddick was finally out, caught at second slip by Nathan Morland for six while Dawson was not out 24, scored off 39 balls.

Pryor proved the destroyer for Otago and ended the innings with the fourth five wicket bag of his career, taking five for 45 from his 12 overs.

Caddick said the benefits to England of his missing the one-day games had been Hoggard's acquisition of experience that would be put to use in the side's future.

"My spot was taken by a young man who's come in and he's experienced one-day cricket against two very good sides.

"Matthew did very well, he knows what is required in the future and the way I view it is, that OK I missed out, but in hindsight you can turn it around and say the guy has learnt a lot and he can push his way into being a regular in the one-day series.

"You need that little bit of competition and that doesn't bother me whatever, I've been there and done that and I know what I've got to do to get back into it. It's good that somebody's there learning from the experience," he said.

The real test for the English attack now was to learn to work together, especially in the absence of frontline bowler Darren Gough who returned home after the one-day series.

"It's going to be an experience for everyone to learn how to bowl with each other," Caddick said.