Chris Harris moved up the all-time Canterbury batting pecking order with 82 against England today, an innings that lent some credibility to what was shaping as a disappointing total.

As it was, he helped ensure his captain Gary Stead could declare at 212/8, meaning England have yet to bowl a side out in New Zealand.

In the process Harris eased himself past Canterbury icon Graham Dowling into fourth on the all-time Canterbury list with 3704 runs, behind Paul McEwan, Rod Latham and Barry Hadlee.

Harris said team coach Michael Sharpe generally kept the players up with any statistical milestones but he had not been aware of his movement today.

So far this summer he has scored 605 runs at 121.00, the most runs in the season to date in New Zealand, two ahead of New Zealand Test opener Mark Richardson.

"You never felt like you were in on the pitch. But the longer you were there the better chance you gave yourself," he said.

With the new ball, and the bounce and pace off the pitch, it was much more difficult than later. There was a lot more grass on the pitch than usual at the ground, he said.

When he joined opener Robbie Frew with Canterbury 39/4, they decided they would just try to bat for a while to get themselves back into the game.

Harris did receive a big bonus when an appeal against him for leg before wicket from the first ball he faced was turned down by umpire Robert Anderson.

He said Frew had said to him the swing was gone so he decided to leave a wider one alone only to have it come back at him.

"I was pretty happy with his decision," he said.

What his lengthy stay at the crease did allow him to do was get a solid first-hand look at the advance Andy Caddick has made as a bowler.

As youths in Christchurch the two were often pitted against each other and they appeared in age-group sides together before Caddick decided to pitch tent in the English camp as he was able to do thanks to his parentage.

"He was a pretty similar height back then, and very much a handful for anyone facing him. He was always a player you would rather have in your side than in the opposition at lower grade level," he said.

© CricInfo