By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent

England just had the better of the opening day, thanks to a fine late burst from Steve Harmison.

Harmison's double took his total for the series to 17 wickets

The pitch at Trent Bridge is as flat as can be with the ball scarcely moving off the straight all day.

But, armed with the second new ball, Harmison had a stroke of good fortune when Nathan Astle edged into his stumps for 15.

With six overs to go, there was an argument for sending in a night-watchman rather than Craig McMillan who missed the Test match at Headingley with a broken finger.

However, McMillan it was who emerged from the pavilion and, when he shuffled in front of his stumps first ball, umpire Simon Taufel sent him on his way lbw.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming must have been delighted to win the toss.

Having somehow managed to rustle 11 fit men together, this was a chance for his beleagured team to take a breather while the batsmen made the most of the benign conditions.

Mark Richardson enjoyed a couple of lucky breaks - he was dropped at short leg by Andrew Strauss off Harmison on six, and on 16 he seemed to edge Matthew Hoggard to Geraint Jones.

Styris batted impressively in the final session for New Zealand

Umpire Daryl Harper might have been deceived because Richardson's bat hit his pad at the same time, but the not out verdict denied Hoggard of his 100th Test victim.

After an opening stand of 163, Richardson's luck ran out when he drove Ashley Giles to Vaughan at short mid on for 73. Again, it was a patient effort, but more fluent than his two innings at Lord's.

Fleming, who is always the most graceful of batsmen, struck two sixes on his way to his seventh Test century which, under the circumstances, was a great effort.

He has had a rough time on this tour and he cast a forlorn figure as his bowlers disappeared all over Headingley.

Flintoff finally snared him, caught at second slip by Graham Thorpe for 117, and as Harmison claimed his wickets, Scott Styris showed everyone why he is so highly rated within New Zealand cricket circles with an unbeaten 68.

There is still plenty of batting to come - including Chris Cairns who will relish the chance to play what could be his final test innings on such a flat track - and New Zealand must be targeting 550, at least, in order to put pressure on England's batsmen.