View photosKEY POINTS:
Kevin Pietersen's batting prowess materialised at last but Tim Southee's impressive debut has ensured England are on the back foot after the first day of the third cricket test at McLean Park in Napier today.
England, delighted to bat first after Michael Vaughan won the toss, were in a contemplative mood at the close after Stuart Broad and Ryan Sidebottom carried the listing tourists' to 240 for seven.
Broad had compiled a test-best 42 while Sidebottom resumes tomorrow on three.
Without Pietersen's dogged 129, his first century in 11 test innings, England would have been in greater trouble after wilting in the face of an inexperienced Black Caps attack spearheaded by 19-year-old right-arm rookie paceman Southee.
Southee made a dream start to his career when his 11th ball had England captain Michael Vaughan leg before wicket for two.
His next over Andrew Strauss snapped up in the gully by Jamie How for a duck and when Chris Martin had Alastair Cook out for two playing on England were an embarrassing four of three in the seventh over.
New Zealand's other debutant Grant Elliott, the first South African-born player to don a black cap, also had a moment to savour before lunch when Ian Bell swatted a mistimed slog down the wicket when on nine to have England at 36 for four.
Fortunately for England, Pietersen maintained his composure among the carnage.
Having not exceeded 53 in 13 knocks since setting foot in New Zealand for the first time in late January, Pietersen picked the perfect time to rediscover the form that saw him average better than 50 before this series.
Pietersen was able to prosper on a surface than was not as easy to bat on as its history suggested.
He brought up his half century off 74 balls with four boundaries and continued a relatively circumspect innings.
Pietersen's 10th boundary, a tad aerial through the slips cordon, registered his first test ton since his 101 against India at The Oval last August.
The 27-year-old's resistance was finally broken by Southee, who had Pietersen flashing to How in the gully, with the second over of the new ball.
Pietersen struck 12 fours and a six onto the roof of Harris Stand to bring up England's 200.
But he was gone eight runs later, having faced 208 balls, as Southee claimed another key scalp on the way to figures of three for 46 from 21 overs.
Pietersen shared in two significant stands, 89 for the fifth wicket with Paul Collingwood and 61 for the seventh wicket with Broad.
Collingwood, England's form batsman of the series, had a life on 13 when he survived a concerted caught behind appeal from Chris Martin.
He succumbed to a loose shot when on 30 when he cut Jeetan Patel to Elliott at backward point.
Recalled spinner Patel also dislodged Tim Ambrose, England's centurion in the second test at Wellington, for 11 to take two for 37.
SCOREBOARD
England
First innings
A Cook b Martin 2
M Vaughan lbw b Southee 2
A Strauss c How b Southee 0
K Pietersen c How b Southee 129
I Bell c and b Elliott 9
P Collingwood c Elliott b Patel 30
T Ambrose c Taylor b Patel 11
S Broad not out 42
R Sidebottom not out 3
Extras (8lb, 3w, 1nb) 12
Total: (for 7 wkts, 92 overs) 240
Fall: 4 (Vaughan), 4 (Strauss), 4 (Cook), 36 (Bell), 125 (Collingwood), 147 (Ambrose), 208 (Pietersen)
Bowling: C Martin 24-5-71-1 (2w), T Southee 21-8-46-3 (1w), G Elliott 10-2-27-1, D Vettori 19-6-51-0, J Patel 18-3-37-2 (1nb)
- NZPA
