Andrew Strauss scored a fluent century on his Test debut at Lord's to turn the first game in the three-match series against New Zealand in the home team's favour on Friday.
Strauss, a late replacement for injured captain Michael Vaughan, hit 112 to help England reach 246 for two in reply to New Zealand's 386.
The Middlesex skipper became the fourth batsman to score a Test century on debut at Lord's and the 15th England player overall, sharing a record opening partnership of 190 with acting captain Marcus Trescothick who returned to form with 86.
Another record was set in the morning session when Chris Cairns broke former West Indies captain Viv Richards's record of 84 Test sixes.
The 33-year-old all-rounder, batting at number eight, extended the mark to 86 in his final series, striking 82 from 47 balls in a magnificent display of controlled savagery.
Strauss and Trescothick made the most of a somnolent Lord's pitch sapped of life by an afternoon of bright sunshine against a four-pronged New Zealand seam attack which bowled accurately but never rose above fast-medium.
TRESCOTHICK GLOVE
They saw England safely through to lunch at 27 for no wicket then batted steadily through the afternoon session, with the only disturbance to their composure coming when Cairns forced Trescothick, on 39, to glove the ball past wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum's right hand.
Trescothick, recapturing the form he lost during the recent tours of Sri Lanka and West Indies, brought up his 50 and the century partnership with a four through extra cover off Chris Martin, his ninth from 95 balls, followed quickly to the milestone by Strauss.
At tea the pair had scored 136 and the previous first wicket record against New Zealand of 143 set by Len Hutton and Jack Robertson in 1949 was soon overtaken. Trescothick finally departed after hitting 13 boundaries when he edged the persevering Jacob Oram to McCullum.
Strauss, a well-organised batsman who remained content to play down the line interspersed with flashing cover drives, moved serenely to 95 when he edged Chris Martin just short of Oram at gully.
He reached his century with a sweetly timed drive through the covers, bending low over the shot, and celebrating by raising his helmet and bat to the crowd.
Strauss finally fell four overs before the close when he turned left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori to Mark Richardson at short-leg.
Cairns was the only batsman to defy the England fast bowlers in the morning session after Oram went for 67, adding only three to his overnight total. Farming the strike cleverly, Cairns hit four sixes, 10 fours and a five in little more than an hour at the wicket.
Steve Harmison, England's hero during their recent 3-0 series win in the West Indies, was again his team's most successful bowler with figures of four for 126 from 22 overs.
Scoreboard
New Zealand (1st innings): (overnight 284-5)
M.Richardson lbw Harmison 93
S.Fleming c Strauss b S.Jones 34
N.Astle c G.Jones b Flintoff 64
S.Styris c G.Jones b S.Jones 0
C.McMillan lbw Hoggard 6
J.Oram c G.Jones b Harmison 67
D.Tuffey B Harmison 8
C.Cairns b Flintoff c Harmison 82
B.McCullum b S.Jones 5
D.Vettori b Harmison 2
C.Martin not out 1.
Extras: (b-9, lb-6, w-2, nb-7) 24
Total: (all out, 102.4 overs) 386
Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-161, 3-162, 4-174, 5-280, 6-287, 7-324, 8-329, 9-338.
Bowling: Hoggard 22-7-68-1 (3-nb 1-w), Harmison 31-7-126-4, Flintoff 21.4-7-63-2 (2-nb), S.Jones 23-8-82-3 (2-nb), Giles 5-0-32-0 (1-w).
England (1st innings):
M.Trescothick c McCullum b Oram 86
A.Strauss c Richardson b Vettori 112
M.Butcher not out 22
M.Hoggard not out 0.
Extras: (b-3, lb-6, nb-17) 26.
Total: (for two wickets, 74 overs) 246
To bat: N.Hussain, G.Thorpe, A.Flintoff, G.Jones, A.Giles, S.Harmison, S.Jones.
Fall of wickets: 1-190, 2-239.
Bowling: Tuffey 17-4-48-0, Martin 16-2-65-0, Oram 17-6-34-1, Cairns 12-2-54-0, Vettori 12-1-36-1.
