Northampton (first day of three; Northamptonshire won toss)

New Zealand 329-8 (AJ Redmand 121, PG Fulton 57)

Lunch

On an overcast morning, Northamptonshire put the New Zealanders in to bat but failed to capitalise on helpful bowling conditions. Although the tourists encountered a few difficulties in the first 12 overs when they reached 22 without loss, the second string bowlers, Richard Logan and Dave Wigley, did their best to bowl the batsmen into form with some woefully directed fare. As many as 81 runs were scored off the next 12 overs as Peter Fulton raced to his 50 from 72 balls with eight fours and a pulled six off Wigley.

Aaron Redmond was more circumspect, advancing to 36 by the break with Fulton on 57. Logan's erratic first four overs cost 33 runs while Wigley's first seven went for 39. Dave Lucas, the left-armer, swung the ball and caused the most problems.

New Zealand included Daniel Flynn in their side after he underwent surgery in Manchester after losing two teeth in the Old Trafford Test match. The 23-year-old was down at number six on the card.

Tea

Northamptonshire made a breakthrough in the first over after lunch when Peter Fulton, without adding to his lunchtime score, edged a good one from Johann Louw to the wicket keeper. Leaving him off the pitch and lifting, the New Zealand opener had little chance. He was followed soon after by James Marshall who, trying to cut a ball from Richard Logan that bounced more than he expected, was well held at first slip at head height by Stephen Peters.

When, three overs later, Ross Taylor was caught behind playing loosely outside off stump to Dave Lucas, the tourists had lost three wickets in 14 overs after lunch for the addition of just 32. The excellent Louw took his jersey with the figures of 13-8-13-1.

Aaron Redmond reached a painstaking 50 from 136 balls but came out of his shell in the hour before tea, skipping down the pitch to hit Graham White for a straight six and collecting 12 fours in all. Brendon McCullum had a good look at the bowling before sweeping an enormous six off Jason Brown's off-spin out of the ground. By tea, he had advanced to 23 from 44 balls in a fourth wicket stand of 54 in 15 overs.

Close

Northamptonshire bounced back strongly in the final session to take five wickets, four of them to Wigley in only 19 balls. Redmond was his first victim, cutting a long hop to point, to end a 227-ball stay that brought him 121, his second century of the tour. He hit 19 fours as well as a straight six off Graham White.

Wigley also removed McCullum for a spirited 72 off 96 balls when the stand-in New Zealand captain walked across his stumps and was given out leg before by Steve Gale, who was standing in his first first-class match. Wigley pinned Flynn leg-before on the back foot after the 23-year-old left-hander had edged his second ball between the wicketkeeper and first slip. Looking edgy, Flynn was understandably nervous after the two operations that he underwent this week following the loss of two teeth in the Old Trafford Test.