Cricket: England fail to take advantage of pitch; Kiwis make a strong start to second Test at Old Trafford.

NEW Zealand raced out of the blocks as Darrell Hair made his return to Test cricket today.

Australian umpire Hair stood at the Warwick Road end of Old Trafford as the New Zealanders charged to 61 without loss in the opening hour of the second match of the npower series against England.

The 55-year-old, whose last Test appearance was the infamous forfeited contest between England and Pakistan at the Brit Oval 20 months ago, was required to adjudicate on just one appeal in the first 15 overs as bat dominated.

A delivery from left-armer Ryan Sidebottom swung back in to Jamie How to strike the pad and trigger vociferous appeals from bowler and slip cordon.

Although Hair twitched it was simply to put his hand in his pocket as he correctly considered the ball would have passed over the top of the stumps.

Aaron Redmond sliced over the slips for four in the ninth over of the morning and How, on 26, was also subject of an optimistic shout for lbw by left-arm spinner Monty Panesar.

England captain Michael Vaughan called Panesar into the attack as early as the 10th over in the search of a breakthrough but the Black Caps' opening duo had shared a half-century stand when a controlled edge from How found its way to the rope at third man off Stuart Broad.

England retained the same XI from the Lord's stalemate last week while New Zealand called in Iain O'Brien in place of Tim Southee as their one change.

Before the start of play, Vaughan called on his side's young attack to crank up their pace.

Vaughan is a big fan of Manchester, having enjoyed big success there and overseen an unbeaten record stretching back to defeat against Pakistan in 2001.

However, he was well aware that, to achieve maximum impact, England's attack would have to put the effort in and ensure they maintained pace levels in all their spells if they were to achieve victory in the second npower Test.

Vaughan said: "I am excited about our young seam attack.

"They will have to be on their pace this week, because to get the rewards at Old Trafford you have to put the effort in.

"As a bowler you can see the ball carry, but you have to be up with your pace in every spell you bowl.

"If you trundle out here and bowl at 80 or 81mph you can find yourself going around the park."

That is underlined by England's record at Old Trafford in recent years, with Durham's Steve Harmison claiming match figures of 11-76 against Pakistan two years ago to secure victory inside three days.

Batsmen can also prosper, with Vaughan hitting a memorable century in the 2005 Ashes Test, while Alastair Cook followed suit in last year's 60-run victory over West Indies.

Vaughan added: "Pace is crucial, which is why I think this could be the best cricket wicket in the country.

"You know you have to bowl with a decent amount of gas.

"If you do that you will create opportunities both with conventional and reverse swing.

"If you spin the ball and have nice flight and variation you will get a lot out of this wicket as well.

"Equally, if you are a good player as a batsman there is a great opportunity for you to go on and get big scores.

"That is why we feel this is a great place to play cricket.

"It is always quite attacking cricket, there is always a bit of chin music, there is plenty to see and that is why we always look forward to playing the game here."

While left-arm spinner Monty Panesar has claimed 18 wickets in his last two Tests at Old Trafford and is almost certain to be a threat once again, the same applies to New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who was man of the match in the drawn opening Test at Lord's.

Vaughan said: "We will have to combat him.

"I thought all their bowlers bowled reasonably well at Lord's, but Daniel produced an especially good spell."

CAPTION(S):

TARGET: Michael Vaughan; HARD WORK: Ryan Sidebottom delivers, watched by umpire Darrell Hair