New Zealand recover against Derbyshire in tour match

New Zealand recovered after a shaky start on the first day of their opening tour match against Derbyshire.

The Kiwis, whose Test series against England begins on 16 June, were without captain Brendon McCullum and star batsman Ross Taylor who have only just arrived from the Indian Premier League.

They struggled to 126-4, with Mark Footitt taking 4-65, but Dean Brownlie (71) and BJ Watling (77 not out) ensured they could declare at 289-5.

Derbyshire reached 24-1 by the close.

Having opted to rest their front-line County Championship bowling attack, Derbyshire invited the tourists to bat after rain had delayed the start by 15 minutes and made use of the early conditions, which favoured the bowlers.

The Black Caps' Test openers struggled as Hamish Rutherford (13) lost his middle stump in the 10th over to Scotland international seamer Alasdair Evans, making his maiden first-class Derbyshire appearance and finding some late movement.

Rutherford's partner Peter Fulton (21) - who hit a century in each innings against England in Auckland six weeks ago - was then trapped lbw to become the first of Footitt's victims.

That brought Martin Guptill to the crease and having helped Derbyshire win promotion to Division One of the Championship last season, he looked set to entertain the Derby crowd again, striking five fours in his 25 when he was caught down the leg side just after lunch.

Acting captain Kane Williamson made a patient 43 but fell to the same combination of Footitt and wicketkeeper Richard Johnson.

However, this was the cue for Brownlie and Kiwi keeper Watling to add 116 for the fifth wicket, and although Johnson and Footitt combined for the third and final time to remove Brownlie, Williamson had seen enough to call his batsmen in and give Derbyshire 50 minutes to face.

Like Derbyshire, New Zealand had rested their two leading pacemen so in the absence of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, the new ball was handed to Doug Bracewell and Mark Gillespie.

But it was first-change seamer Neil Wagner who struck an early blow when Chesney Hughes - fresh from his unbeaten 270 against Yorkshire - was bowled by the final ball of the day.

After the three-day game with Derbyshire, New Zealand face a four-day match against England Lions at Leicester before the first Test.