It was an almost surreal start to the New Zealand tour yesterday with their best five players still to arrive because of their involvement in the Indian Premier League and frequent downpours bringing so many interruptions that even the sylvan setting of Arundel lost much of its appeal.

The match was finally called off after only nine overs of the MCC innings, but there was a silver lining for the visiting side because Aaron Redmond, who has been given the opportunity to solve their problem at the top of the batting order, shared an opening partnership of 91 with Jamie How, the stand-in captain, and went on to make a reassuring 72 in a total of 239 for seven in 47 overs.

It was as much as John Bracewell, the coach, could have hoped for as he tries to make the best of what he has before Daniel Vettori, the captain, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills arrive to play in the first four-day game against Essex at Chelmsford on Friday. The bowlers will get their chance in a three-day game against Kent at Canterbury starting today.

Redmond, 28, is an interesting character who was born in New Zealand but brought up in Western Australia, where his father, Rodney, settled as an accountant after scoring 107 and 56 on his only Test appearance, against Pakistan at Auckland in 1973. He was picked for the England tour that year, but hardly made a run because, apparently, he could not cope with contact lenses. “He doesn't talk too much about it,” his son said yesterday, “but he got himself a hundred and a fifty, so I don't think there are any sour grapes.”

Redmond Jr, who has played league cricket for Wigan for the past three summers, should have a longer Test career. He began as a leg spinner but has worked hard to transform himself into an opening batsman and looked well-organised as he made his runs off 117 balls, with seven fours. “I was a bit nervous at the start because it was the first time I've had an opportunity to play in the New Zealand side,” he said.

New Zealanders

*J M How c Ackerman b Cairns46

A J Redmond c Nixon b Ervine72

J A H Marshall c Nicol b Stephenson11

P G Fulton c Elworthy b Nicol28

D R Flynn c Montgomerie b Stephenson1

G D Elliott lbw b Elworthy14

G J Hopkins c Benham b Nicol9

T G Southee not out20

J S Patel not out9

Extras (lb 5, w 21, nb 3) 29

Total (7 wkts, 47 overs) 239

M R Gillespie and M J Mason did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-120, 3-174, 4-176, 5-183, 6-199, 7-208.

Bowling: Elworthy 9-1-55-1; Ervine 10-2-50-1; Cairns 4-0-18-1; Stephenson 10-1-42-2; Patel 9-0-37-0; Nicol 5-0-32-2.

MCC

D J Bicknell c Fulton b Gillespie12

R R Montgomerie lbw b Gillespie20

H D Ackerman not out9

S M Ervine not out0

Extras (w 3) 3

Total (2 wkts, 9 overs) 44

R J Nicol, *C L Cairns, C C Benham, P A Nixon, J P Stephenson, S Elworthy and M M Patel did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-44.

Bowling: Gillespie 5-0-26-2; Southee 4-1-18-0.

Umpires: S C Gale and J W Lloyds.

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