Wigley stars for Northants

Tim Southee claimed four Northamptonshire wickets

Tim Southee took the first four Northamptonshire wickets only to be outdone by home seamer David Wigley as New Zealand suffered a mixed day at Wantage Road.

Southee took 5-42 to prove he was back in rude health in time to face England at Trent Bridge next week after missing the second Test with a stomach bug.

Kyle Mills (3-41) removed Johann Louw (82) and Niall O’Brien (60) as a weak-looking Northants batting line-up mustered 214 for nine in reply to 363.

But it was Wigley who made a telling late bid for the headlines by taking three wickets for three runs to establish new career-best match figures of 8-81 as the tourists struggled to 38 for three.

Southee had taken an instant liking to cloudy morning conditions, seeing off opener Stephen Peters and Alex Wakely and then returning after lunch to put himself on a hat-trick.

Peters could not get his bat out of the way and edged behind as Southee got one to bounce and follow the batsman and he then made short work of his fellow Under-19 World Cup graduate Wakely, who left an inswinger which hit the top of off-stump.

David Sales hinted at a more substantial contribution until he edged behind and Graeme White chopped on for a first-ball duck.

O’Brien retained a look of permanence, though, picking off the occasional wayward delivery from the likes of Michael Mason and Mills, and dealing effectively with the better ones.

The wicketkeeper-batsman reached an 86-ball half-century with six fours but went after one adventurous shot too many when he drove on the up and smeared a catch to gully off Mills.

Louw took over responsibility and was soon enjoying himself under sunnier skies.

Johann Louw smashes a six on his way to a fifty

He launched two leg-side sixes off Jeetan Patel and one over long-off from Aaron Redmond’s leg-spin to go with two other maximums and seven fours in a lusty, 90-ball stay which brought him his highest score in this country.

Mason suffered most of all, attempting to bowl to a seven-two off-side field but disappearing for 16 off three balls over midwicket as his poor length gave Louw too much leverage.

Brendon McCullum therefore summoned back the cavalry of Southee and Mills, and it was the latter who did for Louw, who aimed another leg-side hit at a ball which was not short enough and edged on to his stumps.

Wigley emerged as an expert edger - wide of third slip for a four off the mark and between the wicketkeeper and first for another to bring up the 200, both off Mills - before he nicked one more obligingly to be caught in the cordon.

Southee completed his third five-wicket haul by knocking out Richard Logan’s middle stump and the hosts called it a day once Jason Brown had chipped in with a leg-side chip for four to save the follow-on.

New Zealand had begun the second day of three by adding 34 handy runs for the loss of their last two wickets, but in 16 evening overs they lost openers Peter Fulton and Redmond and finally James Marshall to Wigley.

Louw was the pick for Northants, with ball as well as bat, until Wigley had Fulton spectacularly caught at gully by sub Steven Crook and then Redmond lbw on the front foot.

Had Crook hung on to another tough chance, Wigley would - like Southee - have taken two wickets in two balls.

But when he had Marshall edging the final ball of the day to the wicketkeeper, the Northants seamer had most reason for satisfaction.