By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent

New Zealand captured the key wicket of Marcus Trescothick shortly before bad light ended play to give themselves a good chance of establishing an important first innings lead.

Trescothick's innings was one of his very best for England

Trescothick had batted magnificently, driving beautifully through the off side to reach his sixth Test century before he was unstuck by a shooter from Scott Styris which crept along the ground, glanced off the bottom edge and cannoned into his stumps.

In poor light, it gave the visitors an opportunity to make life extremely uncomfortable for Graham Thorpe and Andrew Flintoff, but it was not long before the umpires conferred, and the batsmen did not need a second invitation to leave the crease.

Until Trescothick's dismissal, England had enjoyed the best of the day, largely because New Zealand's bowlers were every bit as inept as England's had been on the second day.

The ball moved consistently off the seam, and the bounce was awkward at times, but their direction was wayward, allowing Trescothick and Andrew Strauss to rattle along at a run a minute in their opening stand of 153.

Strauss looked very well set once again, but on 62 he tried to chip Daniel Vettori to square leg, mis-timed the shot and was easily caught at mid-wicket.

Should one of these attacks put the ball in the right place more often, batting would be very awkward indeed

It was a soft dismissal, and Strauss will soon learn that if you make a mistake at this level, you probably pay it with your wicket.

Mark Butcher walked out to bat with the scoreboard reading 153-1, but he was immediately hit on the head by Chris Martin, and was regularly troubled by irregular bounce.

He seemed destined to fail, and so it proved as he was trapped lbw by Vettori for four.

Out strode the new father, Vaughan, to a rousing cheer from his home supporters, but although he looked comfortable, he edged Scott Styris to Fleming to slip for 13.

With a lead of 161, the New Zealanders hold the advantage, but one can't help but feel that should one of these bowling attacks put the ball in the right place more often, batting would be very awkward indeed.