Compton leads England on opening day

Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott's unbroken century stand carried England to the teatime dominance of 162 for one after the early loss of Alastair Cook at the Basin Reserve.

Opener Compton (73no), following up his maiden century in the drawn first Test in Dunedin, and Trott (68no) had barely a moment's concern in a convincing partnership which spanned a wicketless second session.

The tourists, put in on a sunny day, therefore had a chance to bat New Zealand out of contention in this second match of three.

Cook, a little embarrassed perhaps to be described yesterday by his opposite number Brendon McCullum as a "genius" batsman second only to Don Bradman, was unable to live up to that hype. He could muster only 17 before falling in strange circumstances to first-change Neil Wagner, and so it was Compton and Trott who had to put England's stamp on this contest.

Cook himself was untroubled for 43 minutes until he unaccountably pushed a length ball from Wagner straight into the hands of mid-on at the start of the left-armer's second over.

There had been good carry with the new ball for Tim Southee and Trent Boult, which made Cook's dismissal all the more curious as he somehow misread the pace. Compton immediately responded with a one-two demonstration of his two favourite shots in the same Wagner over. First, he had ample time to climb into his second pulled four of a sunny morning; then two balls later, it was the Compton extra-cover drive which brought another boundary.

He and Trott soon had the apparent measure of the home attack, McCullum turning long before lunch to the spin of Bruce Martin in a holding role.

But the second-wicket pair shut out the Kiwis, ensuring not a hint of the collapse which had put England in such trouble at the University Oval last week.

Compton was first to his 103-ball half-century, marginally quicker than Trott's but featuring six boundaries to the number three's seven.