England captain Trescothick, deputising for injured skipper Michael Vaughan, was 60 not out off 121 balls with 10 fours.

His fellow left-hander and Test debutant Strauss, who took Vaughan's place in the side, was 65 not out.

The Middlesex captain, batting on his home ground, faced 109 balls including seven fours. The duo's unbroken stand left England 250 runs behind.

New Zealand, missing the express pace of Shane Bond, still regaining full fitness following a stress fracture of the back, lacked variety in their attack with Daniel Vettori's left-arm spin the only change to four right-arm seamers of similar speed.

Strauss, 27, in his first Test innings, began by nudging runs in the manner of England middle-order left-hand batsman Graham Thorpe.

But as his innings progressed he played some bold strokes, including a grand cover-driven for off seamer Chris Martin.

A cut four down to third man off the same bowler gave Strauss a maiden Test fifty off 90 balls. Trescothick brought up the duo's partnership with a four off Martin.

New Zealand's final total owed much to Chris Cairns's rapid 82 during which he broke Viv Richards' world record for most sixes in a Test career when he hit his 85th six, off Andrew Flintoff.

In all his 47-ball innings featured four sixes and 10 fours, as well as a five courtesy of an overthrow, in what was Cairns's best Test score against England, surpassing his match-winning 80 at The Oval during New Zealand's last tour here five years ago.

He added one more six before he was last man out, caught by Stephen Harmison at fine leg off Flintoff. New Zealand resumed on their overnight score of 284 for five with Oram 64 not out and nightwatchman Tuffey unbeaten on two.