by 
England removed captain Tom Latham and Devon Conway to leave New Zealand 104-2 at lunch on the first day of the first Test in Christchurch on Thursday on a placid wicket.
Kane Williamson, returning after injury kept him out of New Zealand’s recent blockbuster series in India, was 26th at the break, with Rachin Ravindra not out in 21st.
England captain Ben Stokes had no hesitation in bowling as he won the toss.
His pace bowlers found movement on a green-looking pitch, but the wickets were more about the batsmen’s errors.
Conway fell for two in the second over, sharply caught and bowled by Gus Atkinson to reduce New Zealand to 4-1.
The opener was guilty of mistiming a full delivery from Atkinson who leaned to his left to catch the catch.
Latham hit a quick 47 off 54 balls before heading off in the first round after the drinks break.
Latham was rarely troubled as he hit six fours in the first hour.
But he faced just five balls after refreshments before a lapse in concentration gave Brydon Carse the lead against replacement wicketkeeper Ollie Pope.
New Zealand were 62-2, but Williamson and Ravindra steadied the ship, adding an unbroken 42 for the third wicket.
Ravindra had a life in the final before lunch when he appeared to lightly hit a Stokes delivery, but England made no appeal.
Both teams have debutants in their line-up with 21-year-old Jacob Bethell thrust into the third position for England and New Zealand, introducing 26-year-old all-rounder Nathan Smith.
Uncapped Durham wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson, 25, was added to England’s squad in New Zealand on Thursday in place of Jordan Cox.
He is expected to rejoin the team on Saturday.
Cox fractured his right thumb during a net session last week, ruling him out of the three-Test series.
Regular number three Pope took the gloves in this Test, sliding down the batting order to number six.
cf/mp/dh
