Close New Zealand 9 for 1 (Horne 0*, Vettori 4*) trail England 228 (Hussain 106) by 219 runs
scorecard photo gallery

Nasser Hussain stood between England and disaster today as New Zealand threatened to embarrass them almost before the series had started. Hussain came – disbelieving – to the crease in the first over of the day with the score 0 for 2, and was last man out 228 runs later for a backs-to-the-wall 106. It was his tenth hundred in Tests, and one of his most important.

But the line between triumph and tribulation was a thin one. If Hussain had nicked any of the numerous deliveries that flirted with his outside edge during a perilous opening session, England would have been looking at another Johannesburg 1999-2000, when they collapsed to 2 for 4 on the first morning of the series and never recovered. Instead he hung around, found a semi-durable ally in Mark Ramprakash, and took England to a total that might yet prove adequate on a green wicket and would have been more than that but for four dubious umpiring decisions.

Even so, New Zealand – with the exception of the debutant Ian Butler – bowled a testing line outside off stump and Hussain had to be at his party-pooping best to dampen the celebrations, although he was badly missed on 52 by Stephen Fleming at first slip. His innings recalled his 128 against India in 1996, when he alone kept the seamers at bay as England struggled on a tricky Edgbaston pitch. But on that occasion he didn't start in such dire circumstances.

With the innings just three balls old, Marcus Trescothick nibbled at a straight one from Chris Cairns and departed for his third duck in six international innings on this tour. Two balls later Mark Butcher tried to turn a regulation leg-stump delivery off his hip but only succeeded in spooning a leading edge to mid-on, where Butler held the catch. Hussain staggered to the wicket to face the sixth ball of the innings – and a field of four slips, two gullies, point and mid-off, with only fine leg on the on side. It doesn't get much more testing than this.

Hussain was helped initially by a classy cameo from Michael Vaughan, who had been promoted to open in a bid to split up England's left-handers and got going with a pair of hooked sixes off Cairns and Chris Drum. But when Vaughan gave Cairns his third wicket of the innings, caught behind for 26 as he tickled one that moved away, England were in deep trouble at 46 for 3.

Graham Thorpe pulled the wayward Butler for six, but shortly before lunch aimed a wild drive against Drum and sliced to Stephen Fleming at first slip. Thorpe was out for 17 (83 for 4), and it was now that England's decision to play Ramprakash at No. 6 – rather than Andy Flintoff – was fully vindicated.

Ramprakash set about fulfilling his pre-series promise to go for his shots, and while he was flaying Cairns over point and driving Nathan Astle through the covers, England rattled along. But Astle was moving the ball both ways off the seam, and was in the middle of a miserly spell when he had Ramprakash caught behind for 31. Replays showed the ball had come off his thigh-pad, but umpire de Silva disagreed and England were struggling to stay afloat once again at 139 for 5.

Andrew Flintoff didn't last long, and when he missed a drive against Astle and was trapped plumb in front for 0 to extend his miserable Test sequence to eight runs in five innings, England were 151 for 6 and in danger of being skittled for 180. But the ball wasn't misbehaving as much now, and Hussain found another gritty partner in James Foster, who showed two real moments of class: a cover-drive on the up for four, and a straight-drive for four more – both off Cairns.

Hussain had 70 by tea, but soon lost Foster, who was unlucky to be given leg-before by umpire Bowden after Drum's nipbacker seemed to be heading over the stumps (196 for 7). Foster had made 19, and helped put on a priceless 45 for the seventh wicket.

Hussain moved into the nineties with a cover-driven four off Drum, and Ashley Giles cut and drove his fellow left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori for fours, before picking out Drum at third man to present Butler with his first Test wicket. Hussain moved to his century soon afterwards with a flowing cover-drive off Butler, who then won a shocker of a leg-before decision against Andy Caddick. A swinging delivery that would have missed leg stump by a foot hit Caddick on the boot and umpire Bowden raised a crooked finger to signal the fourth duck of the innings (226 for 9).

And there was still time for one more dodgy call when Drum swung one into Hussain. He had got a good stride in, but it wasn't good enough for Mr de Silva and Hussain was lbw for 106. He stood his ground for a few moments, but he shouldn't have been disappointed. On the juiciest of greentops, he had given his side a chance, a feeling that was increased when Matthew Hoggard trapped Mark Richardson in front for 2 (4 for 1) in the six overs of play that remained.

We could be in for quite a game.

Teams
New Zealand 1 Mark Richardson, 2 Matthew Horne, 3 Lou Vincent, 4 Stephen Fleming (capt), 5 Nathan Astle, 6 Craig McMillan, 7 Chris Cairns, 8 Adam Parore (wk), 9 Daniel Vettori, 10 Chris Drum, 11 Ian Butler.

England 1 Marcus Trescothick, 2 Michael Vaughan, 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Nasser Hussain (capt), 5 Graham Thorpe, 6 Mark Ramprakash, 7 Andy Flintoff, 8 James Foster (wk), 9 Ashley Giles, 10 Andy Caddick, 11 Matthew Hoggard.

Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd