New Zealand in control after day 2 v England

Bruce Martin took four wickets andopener Hamish Rutherford made an unbeaten half century in exceptional debuts asNew Zealand bowled out England for 167, then reached 131 without loss by stumpsThursday on the second day of the first test.

Martin, a left-arm spinner, was first picked in a NewZealand test squad in 1999 but had to wait 14 years before being selected againand making his test debut at age 32. He returned 4-43 and South African-bornpaceman Neil Wagner had 4-42 as New Zealand dismissed England in the first twosessions after the scheduled first day was washed out by rain.

Rutherford, the son of former New Zealand test captain KenRutherford, then made an unbeaten 77 in his first test innings and Peter Fultonwas 46 not out as New Zealand closed within 36 runs of England's total.

The opening pair had to bat 42 overs before stumps and didso with the help of some shoddy England fielding, including three droppedcatches.

"It was pretty much a perfect day's cricket to behonest," Martin said. "It's a bloody good feeling actually.

"Luck gave me a couple and I picked up a couple. It wasa good start by the openers but that's all it is, a start, and we've got threebig days left."

England continued its run of poor form in the openingmatches of test series, a run that defies its climb to No. 2 in the testrankings. England hasn't won the first test of an away series since 2004. TheEnglish haven't won after being dismissed for under 200 in the first innings ofany test in 13 years.

New Zealand won the toss and elected to field on the firstday of the match Wednesday, but heavy rain meant no play was possible. Thesecond day began in cold but fine weather, negating the advantage New Zealandhad sought when captain Brendon McCullum opted to bowl in humid conditions.

New Zealand's bowlers still managed on a relatively placidpitch to remove England's batsmen in only two sessions. After the new ball pairof Tim Southee and Trent Boult had each claimed a wicket, Wagner made importantinroads into the England order, dismissing captain Alastair Cook (10) and KevinPietersen (0) with consecutive deliveries.

Martin then ran through the middle and lower order,dismissing Jonathan Trott for the innings' top score of 45, Matt Prior (23),Stuart Broad (10) and James Anderson (23) whose wicket was the last to fall.Rutherford chipped in with three catches and Martin and Wagner also heldcatches in an outstanding day for the Kiwi newcomers.

Southee started the decline of the England innings when hedismissed struggling opener Nick Compton for a duck in the third over. Wagnerthen accelerated the advantage, claiming Cook and Pietersen with successiveballs to leave England 18-3 after 11 overs.

Cook had a life on 9 when he was dropped by Martin atmid-wicket but wasn't so lucky when he picked out Rutherford at point.Pietersen followed next ball, trapped lbw by Wagner with a fast, in-swingingyorker.

Wagner then removed Ian Bell for 23 and Steven Finn for 20.Trott shared a 46-run partnership with Bell for the fourth wicket and a 37-runstand with Prior for the sixth. Finn and Anderson then put on 47 for the ninthwicket before England's innings ended in the 55th over.

Rutherford made an emphatic start to his test career,becoming the ninth New Zealand opening batsman to score a half century on debutand the first since Craig Cumming in 2005.

Fulton's innings was also a triumph of sorts. He wasrecalled for this match to play his 11th test and his first since 2009. In his10 previous test appearances, he had managed only 314 runs at an average of 20and he was part of an ever-changing lineup as New Zealand sought a stable andproductive opening pair.

Of the current New Zealand team, captain Brendon McCullumand wicketkeeper B.J. Watling have also opened in test matches as the NewZealanders sought to overcome top order failures which have dogged them in recentyears, contributing to their decline to No. 8 in the test rankings.

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