Pietersen fights lone battle

Kevin Pietersen leads the recovery from the depths of 36 for four © Getty Images

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Watch Kevin Pietersen's press conference and the close of play report on ECBtv

Kevin Pietersen struck a magnificent century as he battled bravely to stem the tide on the opening day of the decisive final Test against New Zealand in Napier.

Pietersen arrived at the crease with England reeling on four for two, which soon became four for three and then 36 for four.

Yet he chose the most demanding situation of the series to embark on his most important innings.

He overcame the loss of two further partners as New Zealand continued to dominate, reaching his first hundred since August last year to help England close on 240 for seven.

Pietersen’s 129 was by far the highest contribution with the bat on a day that saw only one other member of the top six - Paul Collingwood, who made 30 - reach double figures.

Stuart Broad hit an immensely valuable unbeaten 42, adding 61 with Pietersen for the seventh wicket before he and Ryan Sidebottom shared an unbroken stand of 32 that helped negate the threat of the second new ball.

That England lost a solitary wicket in a final session yielding 90 runs reflected the trueness of surface at McLean Park, as well as highlighting the achievements of debutant Tim Southee, in particular, early on.

The 19-year-old made a dream start to his Test career by removing Michael Vaughan and Andrew Strauss in his first three overs en route to figures of 3-46.

There were also two wickets for Jeetan Patel in the afternoon session, and New Zealand will resume on day two harbouring high hopes of limiting England to a total well under 300.

Southee not only made a mockery of pre-match suggestions that this would be the most batsman-friendly surface of the series, but proved he was far from overawed at stepping up to Test level.

Tim Southee removes Andrew Strauss, his second wicket in as many overs © Getty Images

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He impressed on two Twenty20 appearances against England prior to the one-day series last month, and returned from the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia boasting the player of the tournament award.

But few could have predicted the explosive manner in which he made his presence felt on this Test, the third of a series which stands at 1-1.

He needed just 11 deliveries to justify his call-up, trapping Vaughan leg before for two with a ball that demanded a fuller stride after the England captain won the toss and chose to bat.

Strauss perished without scoring in Southee’s next over, superbly caught low down by a diving Jamie How at gully as he attempted to drive a wide, full-length delivery.

Chris Martin struck moments later courtesy of another delivery that drew the batsman forward, although Alastair Cook’s defensive push merely diverted the ball on to middle stump to leave England reeling on four for three.

Pietersen and Ian Bell kept New Zealand at bay for an hour, but Grant Elliott - a second debutant in the hosts’ line-up - had the latter caught and bowled forcing off the back foot for a 58-ball nine.

Pietersen and Collingwood survived until lunch, and returned after the interval demonstrating noticeably more aggression.

Collingwood advanced down the track to loft Daniel Vettori over his head in the first over back, and when Pietersen registered a 74-ball fifty containing four fours, England’s total stood at 69.

Stuart Broad drives through the off side in his resolute unbeaten 42 © Getty Images

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Pietersen surpassed his highest score of the tour - he made 50 in the tied one-day international on this ground last month - and he and Collingwood saw England to three figures without further mishap, although the latter had a loud appeal for caught behind off Martin turned down when he had made 13.

Having appeared to have found his touch, however, Collingwood fell in disappointing fashion for 30, finding Elliott at backward point as he cut a wide, short ball from Patel, operating around the wicket.

It was a tactic which also brought the wicket of Tim Ambrose, who added 22 with Pietersen in almost 12 overs before edging a defensive stroke to Ross Taylor at second slip.

Pietersen took tea on 90, and seemed content to deal in singles and twos after the interval until a flashing drive off Martin that flew to the left of gully took him to his hundred. He had faced 163 balls and struck 10 fours in almost four hours.

He showed signs of upping the tempo by driving the same bowler down the ground later in the over, and heaved Vettori on to the roof of the stand at midwicket to bring up the fifty stand with Broad and take England past 200.

But the return of Southee to the attack did for Pietersen, who, beaten by movement off the pitch as he attempted to drive the second ball of his spell on the up, sliced to How at gully.

Despite the obdurate Broad and Sidebottom, playing and missing on numerous occasions during the remainder of an absorbing session, they survived until the close to ensure spirits in the England dressing room were significantly higher than they were half an hour into the day.

Pietersen, though, can take the greatest credit for that.