CHRISTCHURCH, March 14: Matthew Hoggard recorded career-best figures of seven for 63 on Thursday as he ripped New Zealand apart with a prolonged spell of lively out-swing bowling on the second day of the first Test.

New Zealand slumped from 66 for three at lunch to 147 all out with Hoggard and Andy Caddick, who dismissed three batsman in a single over, sharing the wickets.

England, who took a welcome 81-run lead after they were bowled out for 228 on the first day, were 63 for two in their second innings when bad light stopped play, losing Michael Vaughan (0) and Marcus Trescothick (33) to debutant paceman Ian Butler.

Hoggard picked up both wickets to fall in the morning session with Matthew Horne falling to a brilliant diving catch by Graham Thorpe at third slip for 14 and nightwatchman Daniel Vettori (42) edging a catch behind after some bold shots.

The burly Yorkshireman then bowled Lou Vincent for 12 before trapping Nathan Astle in front for 10 to collect his first five-wicket bag in his sixth Test.

He came back after a four-over stint from Caddick, the second of which collected three wickets, and polished off the New Zealand innings, by dismissing the hard-hitting Craig McMillan for 40 and last man Ian Butler for a duck.

New Zealand had lost three wickets with the score at 117 and it should have been four when Craig McMillan, temporarily redundant at the other end, slashed at a ball from Flintoff in the next over and was dropped by substitute fieldsman Craig White on the third man boundary.

The home side were able to get off the bogey 117 with that lapse, which was the signal to McMillan, then 16, to attempt a rescue act.

He took to Caddick in his third over and scored 15 off the over and another seven off his next. Caddick’s brief but lively spell was four overs, two maidens, 22 runs and three wickets.