( AFP ) - Ross Taylor's dashing, unbeaten 57 kept England's attack at bay on the first day of the second Test here at Old Trafford on Friday.
New Zealand, when rain forced an early tea, were 180 for four after captain Daniel Vettori had won the toss.
All-rounder Jacob Oram, who made a century in the drawn first Test at Lord's, was unbeaten on 10 after Daniel Flynn had been forced to retire hurt.
New Zealand, after left-arm swing bowler Ryan Sidebottom struck twice in seven balls before lunch, resumed on 92 for two with opener Jamie How 58 not out and Taylor unbeaten on four.
But How had added only eight runs to his interval score when he edged a full length ball from pace bowler James Anderson, on his Lancashire home ground, to wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose.
How faced 110 balls with seven fours. His exit brought in the hard-hitting Brendon McCullum, New Zealand's first innings hero at Lord's with a run-a-ball-97.
McCullum cut Monty Panesar for four and next ball hoisted the left-arm spinner legside for six.
But three balls later wicket-keeper McCullum was out for 11 when, drawn forward into playing a Panesar ball that turned and took the outside edge, he was caught at first slip by Paul Collingwood.
New Zealand, who had been 80 for one, were now 123 for four.
Their score had moved on to 136 when Flynn, playing in only his second Test, retired hurt on four after missing an attempted hook off a short ball from Anderson which crashed into the grille of his helmet and saw the left-hander lose a tooth.
Oram, whose Lord's century was preceded by McCullum retiring hurt, had been troubled by the short ball in the series opener.
And the tall all-rounder again looked uncomfortable when, not for the first time, he took his eye of an Anderson bouncer that struck him on the helmet.
The Old Trafford pitch is renowned for its pace and bounce but the talented Taylor demonstrated one way to combat the short ball by hooking an Anderson bouncer for six.
Taylor continued to attack and stylishly square-cut Anderson for four.
A rasping cut off Anderson, which sped to the boundary, saw Taylor to a 52-ball fifty with a six and seven fours. It was Taylor's fourth half-century in his seventh Test.
Opener Aaron Redmond made 28 before Sidebottom, who took six wickets at Lord's and 24 in England's 2-1 Test series win in New Zealand in March, bowled him shouldering arms.
And 80 for one became 86 for two when James Marshall, for the second innings in a row, was lbw to Sidebottom for nought.
At tea, Sidebottom had economical figures of two for 33 in 16 overs.
New Zealand made one change to their Lord's team, Iain O'Brien in for fellow pace bowler Tim Southee after the teenager went down with a stomach virus.