Cricket: Smooth Southee swings through debut (+photos)

Tim Southee claimed the prized scalps of Michael Vaughan, Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen. Photo / Getty Images

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Dennis Lillee described the strapping farm boy from south of Whangarei as the closest thing he'd seen to a young Glenn McGrath when Tim Southee was put through his paces at the Australian's cricket academy in Chennai last year.

Today Southee, 19, started justifying that that tag with an impressive debut against England in the third test at McLean Park.

On a pitch not expected to suit the rookie swing bowler, Southee's remarkable season continued with a three-wicket haul that had England on the back foot at stumps on day one.

England were 240 for seven at the close, their sluggish day clearly influenced by Southee's early and late afternoon interventions.

He removed England captain Michael Vaughan on his 11th ball, leg before wicket, and then dislodged Andrew Strauss in his next over for a duck, caught in the slips by Jamie How.

England never really truly recovered despite Kevin Pietersen's defiant 129 - the only Englishman to prosper until Southee had him also caught by How with the second over of the new ball.

Southee was suitably unfazed after his impressive exploits - a continuation of the form he showed at the under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.

"The first over there were a few nerves, but to get a wicket under my belt early relieved a bit of pressure and it sort of went from there," he said.

Vaughan was also a notable first wicket, though as the teenager admitted a Monty Panesar would have been equally satisfying.

"I'd have been happy with anyone but getting Vaughan is quite a good effort I thought."

He slid an outswinger past the England skipper, a ball that gave his confidence a boost, and then bowled a straight one that trapped Vaughan plumb.

Pietersen then provided the perfect ending to a memorable day in front of parents Murray and Joanne.

"He's one of the better batters going around at the moment, it was a challenge, I really enjoyed bowling to him," Southee said.

"It's was good to get Vaughan early and it was good to get Pietersen at the end, he played well to get a hundred. I enjoyed them both."

- NZPA