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NOTTINGHAM - Test-best figures from New Zealand paceman Iain O'Brien saved the blushes of his senior bowlers after the tourists loosened their stranglehold on the third cricket test against England here today.
O'Brien's double-strike with the second new ball, removing century-maker Kevin Pietersen and his willing deputy Tim Ambrose, left the match evenly poised with England 273 for seven at stumps on day one at Trent Bridge.
Thanks to O'Brien and Kyle Mills, England were on the ropes at 86 for five just after lunch, before Pietersen and Ambrose added 161 for the sixth wicket.
An imperious Pietersen punished some loose bowling from the strangely off-cue senior men Daniel Vettori and Chris Martin, facing 223 balls and hitting 14 fours in a chanceless 115 before O'Brien offered debutant gloveman Gareth Hopkins his first test catch.
O'Brien beat his previous best of three for 34 against Bangladesh in January with a haul of four for 61 off 20 overs, after a strong performance into the wind in the second test defeat at Old Trafford.
It was a frantic morning for the tourists after Hopkins was summoned for his debut when Brendon McCullum was deemed unfit to keep wicket due to his sore back.
It meant Peter Fulton missed out after he was confirmed in the side last night, with McCullum named in the No.3 spot and O'Brien heading off Tim Southee's challenge.
Vettori saw enough in the pitch and overhead conditions to bowl first on winning the toss, and it looked a stroke of genius with the first five England batsman back in the pavilion.
Mills started the procession, knocking out Alastair Cook's leg stump in a gem of an over when he beat Michael Vaughan's edge three times in a row.
He nicked out Andrew Strauss for 37, playing a loose drive, to spark a post-lunch collapse of three for two in 12 deliveries.
Out-of-form pair Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood were both sent back without scoring and New Zealand were eyeing a dominant first day.
But then memories were revived of the second test in Wellington, when the bowlers fed Ambrose's cut shot and he notched a maiden test century.
Martin and Vettori struggled for rhythm and consistency on the slow pitch, both going wicketless with Martin conceding 61 off 12 overs and Vettori 55 off 17.
Pietersen moved about the crease and worked the bowling around the wicket in a chanceless knock, his 12th test century coming up in a sedate 194 balls.
"It's something that I pride myself on, I like to stand up and be counted on days when it's really tough. It's a good judge of character and it's something that I thrive on," he said.
"At 85 for five we were staring down the barrel, and I came out and just wanted to enjoy myself."
Pietersen insisted England, who lead the series 1-0, were in the dominant position despite he and Ambrose, who scored 67, being nicked out by O'Brien in the space of four overs.
"Given that 214 has been the par (first innings) score here during the summer so far in county cricket, we're now 273 so we're pretty well ahead I reckon."
Mills, who ended with three for 58 off 24 overs after his struggles in the Manchester wind, felt New Zealand could be proud of their fightback.
"They batted very well on a wicket that's pretty slow. To get those two wickets at the end, we hung pretty tough and I think the honours are pretty even," he said.
"Iain bowled superbly well for us at Old Trafford and it bodes well for the guy when he can back it up with a good performance today, it's a true test of a good cricketer at this level."
SCOREBOARD
England
First innings
A Strauss c Taylor b Mills 37
A Cook b Mills 6
M Vaughan b O'Brien 16
K Pietersen c Hopkins b O'Brien 115
I Bell lbw b O'Brien 0
P Collingwood c Taylor b Mills 0
T Ambrose c Hopkins b O'Brien 67
S Broad not out 15
J Anderson not out 1
Extras (4b, 8lb, 4nb) 16
Total (for 7 wkts, 90 overs) 273
Fall: 14 (Cook), 44 (Vaughan), 84 (Strauss), 85 (Bell), 86 (Collingwood), 247 (Pietersen), 262 (Ambrose).
Bowling: C Martin 12-1-61-0, K Mills 24-7-58-3 (2nb), I O'Brien 20-4-61-4 (1nb), J Oram 17-6-26-0, D Vettori 17-0-55-0 (1nb).
- NZPA
