March 23, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

NAPIER (New Zealand), March 22: Kevin Pietersen broke out of his recent form slump to rescue England and guide them to 240 for seven at the close on the first day of the third and final Test against New Zealand on Saturday.

Pietersen, who had not made a test score above 50 since August, was dismissed for 129 and shared in productive partnerships with Paul Collingwood (30) and Stuart Broad (42 not out).

New Zealand debutant pace bowler Tim Southee had made a dream start, taking two wickets in his first spell as England slumped to 58 for four at lunch and 150 for six at tea.

Southee then returned after New Zealand took the second new ball and dismissed the dangerous Pietersen, who shared an 89-run partnership with Collingwood and 61-run stand with Broad.

South African-born Pietersen, who had appeared to be lacking in confidence throughout the series, stroked 12 fours and one six on to the roof of the main stand at McLean Park before he was caught by Jamie How at gully. It was his 11th Test century.

Broad’s stoic defence against the spin of Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel was a valuable asset during his partnership with Pietersen and he surpassed his previous Test best score of 16.

The 19-year-old Southee captured two early wickets in the first session. Southee, replacing the injured Kyle Mills, trapped Michael

Vaughan lbw for two with his 11th ball in Test cricket and had

Andrew Strauss well caught in the gully by How for a duck.

New ball partner Chris Martin bowled Alastair Cook for two from an inside edge to reduce England to four for three in the seventh over after winning the toss on the batter-friendly pitch.

Pietersen and Ian Bell managed to see off the new-ball attack before Bell played a poor shot to a Grant Elliott long hop and hit it straight back to the debutant all-rounder to be dismissed for nine.

Collingwood and wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose both fell to Patel in the afternoon.

Collingwood’s cut ballooned to Elliott at backward point and Ambrose was drawn forward and nicked a catch to Ross Taylor at second slip for 11. Southee ended the day with figures of three for 46 and Patel two for 37.

The New Zealand team wore black armbands as a mark of respect for former captain Merv Wallace, who died on Friday aged 91.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

A.N. Cook b Martin 2

M.P. Vaughan lbw b Southee 2

A.J. Strauss c How b Southee 0

K.P. Pietersen c How b Southee 129

I.R. Bell c and b Elliott 9

P.D. Collingwood c Elliott b Patel 30

T.R. Ambrose c Taylor b Patel 11

S.C.J. Broad not out 42

R.J. Sidebottom not out 3

EXTRAS (LB-8, W-3, NB-1) 12

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 92 overs) 240

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-4, 3-4, 4-36, 5-125, 6-147, 7-208.

TO BAT: M.S. Panesar, J.M. Anderson.

BOWLING (to-date): Martin 24-5-71-1 (2w); Southee 21-8-46-3 (1w); Elliott 10-2-27-1; Vettori 19-6-51-0; Patel 18-3-37-2 (1nb).

NEW ZEALAND: M.D. Bell, J.M. How, S.P. Fleming, M.S. Sinclair, L.R.P.L. Taylor, G.D. Elliott, B.B. McCullum, D.L. Vettori, T.G. Southee, J.S. Patel, C.S. Martin.

UMPIRES: D.J. Harper (Australia) and R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).

TV UMPIRE: G.A.V. Baxter (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India).—Reuters