How shines but New Zealand struggle

New South Wales 0 for 15 trail New Zealanders 266 (How 170, Lambert 5-74) by 261 runs
Scorecard

Jamie How returned to form spectacularly but the rest of his batting colleagues failed just as emphatically on the first day of New Zealand's only tour match ahead of the first Test. How piled on 170 of his side's 266 but his highest first-class score could not mask the fragility of the middle order.

Ross Taylor was the next highest scorer with 31 and three of the specialist batsmen failed to reach double figures against a New South Wales attack that was missing several key members. But at least How's effort was a major positive after he failed to post a half-century in any of his past three Tests.

By the time he reached triple-figures from 174 deliveries he had offered no chances despite attacking with confidence and the milestone came up with a six over long-on off the legspinner Steven Smith. How cleared the boundary six times in all and struck 13 fours and the ease with which he compiled runs made it all the more bewildering that his team-mates struggled.

The day began on a high for the debutant Josh Hazlewood, who at 17 became the youngest fast bowler to play for New South Wales. He took the new ball and in his third over enticed an edge behind from Aaron Redmond, who made 5. Hazlewood added the important wicket of Taylor, who was caught at slip, and it started a mini-collapse as the visitors lost 4 for 46.

Brendon McCullum was sent back attempting a second run and was caught short for 5 and Lambert had Daniel Flynn caught behind for 2 and Daniel Vettori taken at slip for 3. Lambert added two more victims to finish with his best first-class figures of 5 for 74.

It was a strong performance from a Blues side that was not only missing its Test fast men but also the key strikers Nathan Bracken and Mark Cameron, who had niggling injuries. At the close of play New South Wales had reached 0 for 15 with Phillip Hughes on 10 and Usman Khawaja on 5.