A wicket just before lunch gave England some consolation after New Zealand’s openers warily negotiated most of the first session of the third Test against England.

New Zealand looked set to get through the first session without loss after England sent New Zealand in after winning the toss, looking to exploit a green tinge in the pitch in the deciding Test at Eden Park.

But they lost a wicket with five minutes left in the session with the score at 79 after Steven Finn enticed Hamish Rutherford into a drive wide of first slip and had him caught by captain Alastair Cook.

They went to lunch on 1-79, with Peter Fulton on 41 and Kane Williamson yet to score.

England’s attack bowled a little short in the early overs but Fulton and Rutherford batted cautiously but well, one edge by Fulton which went by a non-existent fourth slip the closest they got until the end of the session.

Fulton had more of the strike and was a little more aggressive in the first hour, twice whipping the ball over square leg for boundaries, while Rutherford wasn’t given the freedom outside off stump to score much.

Rutherford was hit in the helmet grill last over before drinks, and played and missed a few times soon after. But he gained in confidence and hit Monty Panesar twice for six in one over towards the end of the session before being dismissed for 37.

England made one injury-enforced change for the Test, Jonny Bairstow coming in after star batsman Kevin Pietersen was ruled out with a knee injury.

New Zealand are unchanged for the third Test in a row with seamer Doug Bracewell, despite coming through a 50-over match on Wednesday after missing the first two Tests with a foot injury, overlooked.