London: Brendon McCullum led a New Zealand fight back against England with a run-a-ball 97 to help his side to 208 for six when bad light ended the first day's play of the first Test at Lord's here today.

McCullum, who had seen New Zealand's top order fail again as they slumped to 109 for five at tea, on a day where rain meant there was no play before lunch, put on 99 for the sixth wicket with Jacob Oram.

But three runs short of what would have been the wicket-keeper's third Test hundred, and a place on the Lord's honours board, McCullum was bowled between bat and pad by a quicker delivery from left-arm spinner Monty Panesar.

In all he hit two sixes and 13 fours, having come in when New Zealand were in dire straits at 41 for three. At stumps, Oram was 23 not out and New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori unbeaten on five.

Earlier pace bowler James Anderson took three wickets for 27 runs in his first 10 overs after England captain Michael Vaughan had won the toss and decided to field first in overcast, seamer-friendly conditions.

McCullum, 26, is renowned as a dynamic one-day batsman. But New Zealand's plight meant they needed him to stay in as much as score briskly.

McCullum, 36 not out at tea, went to 49 with a pulled boundary off Stuart Broad before a single off the fast bowler saw him to a 65-ball fifty, his ninth in 33 Tests, with eight fours.

He brought up a 50 stand in 70 balls with Oram by driving left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom down the ground.

McCullum lofted Panesar straight over the bowler's head for first six of innings. He surpassed that stroke with a superb six against Broad.

Anderson, who saw off a threat to his place from Matthew Hoggard in a team unchanged from the side that won the third Test in New Zealand, removed debutant Aaron Redmond for a duck and fellow opener Jamie How for seven to leave the Black Caps struggling at 18 for two.

He then bowled Daniel Flynn, the other debutant in the New Zealand side, round the left-hander's legs for nine shortly before tea.

Finding a reliable first-wicket partnership has proved a major problem for New Zealand.

Hopes were high that the 28-year-old Redmond might fill the void after scores of 146 and 64 against England A last week.

But he edged his fifth ball, which cut away slightly, to Alastair Cook at third slip and New Zealand were two for one.

The talented Ross Taylor failed to show the application required in difficult circumstances.

Having got away with some rash shots outside off-stump, he fell when a reckless top-edged pull off Broad was caught by Paul Collingwood, running back from second slip.

Source : PTI