CANTERBURY (England), April 30: James Marshall began on Tuesday his bid to fill the hole in New Zealand’s batting order left by the retirement of former captain Stephen Fleming ahead of the tourists’ Test series with England.

Marshall, twin brother of Gloucestershire’s Hamish, took over Fleming’s No 3 position in the ongoing tour match against Kent and, at the end of the second day of New Zealand’s three-day game, was 20 not out in a total of 92 for one.

Black Caps stand-in skipper Jamie How was unbeaten on 53.

“Flem is a hard player to replace,” said Marshall, aiming to add to his five caps when the first Test of the three-match series starts at Lord’s on May 15.

“He has obviously played a lot of cricket for New Zealand. But it is a different era now, so hopefully whoever takes that role will express their own skills. I don’t think there is pressure to try to be like Flem.

“At the moment I am batting at three and I guess if I score heavily leading up to the Tests there is an opportunity to play there.”

In a day cut short at both ends by bad weather, New Zealand lost opener Aaron Redmond before stumps when the son of former Test batsman Rodney was caught behind off Ryan McLaren for 14.

Earlier Kent declared on their overnight score of 324 for one.

Kent captain Robert Key was 178 not out. It was his third century in as many first-class innings against the Black Caps.James Tredwell was unbeaten on 123.

Scoreboard

KENT (1st Innings, overnight 324-1):

J.L. Denly c Marshall b Southee 12

R.W.T. Key not out 178

J.C. Tredwell not out 123

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-5, W-1) 11

TOTAL (for one wkt decl, 90 overs) 324

FALL OF WKT: 1-25.

DID NOT BAT: M.J. Walker, D.I. Stevens, N.J. Dexter, G.O. Jones, R. McLaren, A.J. Blake, S.J. Cook, M.J. Saggers.

BOWLING: Martin 19-7-53-0 (1w); Southee 15-3-49-1; O’Brien 21-5-73-0; Elliott 10-2-42-0; Patel 21-2-81-0; Redmond 4-1-16-0.

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings):

J.M. How not out 53

A.J. Redmond c Jones b McLaren 14

J.A.H. Marshall not out 20

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-1, NB-1) 5

TOTAL (for one wkt, 38.2 overs) 92

FALL OF WKT: 1-35.

TO BAT: P.G. Fulton, D.R. Flynn, G.D. Elliott, G.J. Hopkins, T.G. Southee, J.S. Patel, I.E. O’Brien, C.S. Martin.

BOWLING (to-date): Saggers 11-6-16-0; McLaren 10.2-2-29-1 (1nb, 1w); Cook 7-0-

25-0; Blake 4-1-17-0; Tredwell 6-5-2-0.

—Agencies