New Zealand took two wickets in as many balls to reduce England to 3-67 at lunch on the second day of the second Test in Leeds on Saturday.
England, after the early loss of Nick Compton, were largely untroubled during a second-wicket partnership of 56 between captain Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott after the hosts had been 1-11.
But Trott then drove well away from his body and was caught behind by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum off left-arm quick Neil Wagner for 28.
And next ball left-hander Cook flat-footedly edged recalled seamer Doug Bracewell to third slip Dean Brownlie.
Both Ian Bell and Joe Root, in his first Test on his Yorkshire home ground, were nought not out at lunch.
Earlier, Cook won the toss and batted first with the sunny blue skies overhead providing seemingly ideal conditions to make first use of a good pitch and fast outfield following Friday’s total washout.
But Tim Southee, who starred with 10 wickets in the midst of a crushing 170-run defeat in the first of this two-Test series at Lord’s last week, struck in Saturday’s fourth over.
The seamer had opener Nick Compton, off a static half-drive, excellently caught head-high by Brownlie for one.
By recalling Bracewell after Bruce Martin suffered a calf injury at Lord’s, the tourists were left with a four-man seam attack.
New Zealand also brought in batsman Martin Guptill after wicketkeeper BJ Watling was ruled out with a knee injury sustained at Lord’s.
McCullum, who deputised behind the stumps during the first Test, donned the gloves again having given up full-time keeping in Tests in 2010 because of knee and back problems.