England struggle in warm-up

Having selected a line-up as close as possible to their expected side for the opening Test in Hamilton, England were looking for solid performances throughout to boost their preparations for next week.

But instead a re-shuffled batting line-up backfired badly after they were dismissed for a lowly 131 in helpful conditions and then their attack failed to exploit those same conditions as the Select XI reached 177 for four by the close of the opening day.

With less than a week before the three-Test series begins, it was not the performance either coach Peter Moores or captain Michael Vaughan was looking for from a line-up missing only injured left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom.

Having been put into bat by the Select XI, which included eight players who could feature in New Zealand's Test squad next week, England never really recovered from losing Vaughan to a second ball duck when he edged behind pushing forward to seamer Iain O'Brien.

Vaughan's dismissal was the first of four catches for wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs as the select XI used seaming conditions to their advantage and put England under immediate pressure.

Andrew Strauss, an opener throughout his 43-Test England career, was moved to number three to allow Vaughan and Alastair Cook to continue their successful opening partnership but fell for just five.

O'Brien finished with four for 34 while Mark Gillespie, his rival for a Test spot, claimed three for 62 as England, with Kevin Pietersen top-scoring on 50, were dismissed in at the start of the 41st over, leaving several members of the top order desperately short of batting practice.

England's seamers, instead of taking their lead from the Select XI's attack, bowled short and allowed openers Matthew Bell and How to forge a 98-run partnership.

Matthew Hoggard finally made the breakthrough before Tremlett, Collingwood and Harmison each took a wicket to flatter England.