Chelmsford

(Day one of four)

The New Zealanders have scored 348 for nine wickets against Essex

Lunch

Brendon McCullum, waiting to come in at No 5 for New Zealand in his first match since returning from his explosive debut in the Indian Premier League, must have been twitching with frustration at the tortoise-like progress of his team-mates at Chelmsford but this is first-class cricket rather than the bashathon of Twenty20. No cheerleaders either.

The Kiwis made only 12 runs in the first half-hour and that they squeaked past 60 in the morning session was almost exclusively due to the lack of a third man. Aaron Redmond, who was leg-before to Ryan Ten Doeschate for 35 shortly before lunch, scored most of his runs in that area off thick edges.

It is a rarity that Essex can choose from a full bowling complement but all the fast bowlers are fit and Alex Tudor and Tony Palladino used the new ball well, Palladino in particular getting a lot of movement off the seam. He earned Essex their first wicket in the fourteenth over, trapping Jamie How in front of the wicket for nine.

Tea

James Marshall made a patient half-century after lunch as the New Zealanders attempted to get back in the game but Essex still held the upper hand after dismissing the two most dangerous batsmen on the visiting side.

Ross Taylor started aggressively after the break, attacking Tony Palladino in the third over and gaining a six over long on and a four through the covers, but in Palladino's next over, Taylor chased at a ball that moved away and edged to Jason Gallian at slip for 17.

In came Brendon McCullum, the man who made 150 in 20 overs in India last month. He also paid for over-aggression after driving one four. He pushed forward at a ball from Ryan Ten Doeschate, got a thick edge, and was brilliantly caught by James Middlebrook, one-handed, at gully.

Marshall steadied the ship, reaching 50 off 93 balls but, as in the first session, Essex leaked too many runs through a vacant third man.

Close

A last-wicket stand of 52 in nine overs helped the touring New Zealanders towards a respectable total but severe questions need to be asked of their batsmen, especially the five players returning from the Indian Premier League who made only 64 runs between them. The last pair aside, it was James Marshall who was responsible for the bulk of New Zealand's runs, making 128 to cement his place at No 3 in the Test side at Lord's in a fortnight.

Essex will be happy with their day's work, especially Ryan Ten Doeschate who got the third five-wicket haul of his first-class career when Marshall pulled him to Maurice Chambers at deep square leg. Yet the Dutchman could have had his fifth wicket a few overs earlier when Alastair Cook dropped Daniel Vettori at gully. It was a hard chance high to his right and it could prove costly for the England opener as he left the field immediately clutching his right hand.

He had dislocated his little finger but Essex insisted that he should be able to bat tomorrow. Cook was sent for a precautionary X-ray and Essex will hope not only that he can pad up in the morning but that one of the fast bowlers can end this stubborn final partnership.

It was the second-highest stand of New Zealand's innings, after the 128-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Marshall and Daniel Flynn. Another highlight was Tom Westley, the England Under-19 off-spinning all-rounder, taking the second wicket of his Essex career, turning the ball to clip Vettori's outside edge.

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