Spinner Mark Craig is going to bowl the final over before lunch. Cook almost gives it away with a rather loose swish at one outside off, but he survives the rest, and England are unbloodied at lunch. Excellent work from the openers.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"A good start by this pair, they've been very watchful against some good bowling."

Kofi in London: Just finished my physics degree yesterday so should really be on the job hunt but I'm going to make the more grown up decision to lie in bed all day listening to TMS - if only I could land a job as a full time "expert" listener.

Lyth brings up the England 50 with a deft glide down to the third-man boundary. Glee on the faces of those in the front-row seats as three New Zealand fielders chase the ball vainly to the fence.

Bryan Waddle
BBC Test Match Special

"I spoke to Luke Ronchi last night and he said he was determined to enjoy himself as it could be his only Test for New Zealand."

Image source, AFP

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"It's been some good bowling from New Zealand, on this surface you just need to try to hit off stump as much as you can. England will know there will be opportunities later in the day. Adam Lyth needs to hang in there as sometimes his downfall has been his patience."

Cook works one from off stump through wide mid-on, it's hauled in just short of the fence but brings England three. Five minutes to go to lunch, England's openers closing in on the end of a job very well done.

Nick Harrison: Love that we never give credit to the other team, NZ swung their willow at the end, this week it worked, last week we won!

Rachel T: Alastair Cook really does run like Woody in Toy Story. Graeme Swann was spot on with that.

Jonny D tudor: Just making a nice brew and the tea bag split, must be Cook's fault. Can be no other reason.

Image source, AP

Alastair Cook record watch: he needs 31 to draw level with Graham Gooch as England's all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket. He's currently nine away, but at the slightly ponderous rate that England are currently batting, he may not get there before lunch. New Zealand trying to put the squeeze on Adam Lyth, and it almost works when he chips one just short of short mid-wicket.

lREDACTEDl: England's opening a bit of a snooze-fest so far compared to NZ's gung-ho style of play. Effective though.

Simon Parker: Cook and Lyth doing a good job. Forget the runs. 15 overs of the new ball and no wickets.

Image source, Getty Images

Don't bowl there to Alastair Cook - he plays short-pitched bowling with the ease of a man in his favourite armchair swatting away a bluebottle with the Sunday newspaper. He hammers an inadvisable Henry delivery to the fence. Bowl there to him - full, on off stump, and Cook edges it just short of Kane Williamson at third slip.

Image source, Getty Images

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Headingley

"Already very partisan on the Western Terrace, ironic cheers coming with every New Zealand appeal that is turned down. If they're this rowdy now, what will it be like come tea time? I'm going to get myself in there, maybe to meet an air hostess. Or a duck. Or one of the Muppets."

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"Alastair Cook has now scored 200 runs off Tim Southee's bowling in Test cricket, and Southee is yet to get him out."

A modicum of alarm in a pretty unruffled session for England as McCullum shies at the stumps with Cook scampering through for a tight single. Southee not looking too dangerous at the moment.

J Cunningham: Re: 12:36 - I'm guessing Zimbabwe didn't try five wicketkeepers again after losing by an innings and 301 runs?

They certainly didn't try poor old Forster Mutizwa again - scandalously, it was his only Test. So far...

England's opening batsmen are doing their bit to reassert the traditional virtues of Test cricket after the wham-bam pyrotechnics of the New Zealand innings. Block, block, nudge, block, block, dab. Another good over goes unrewarded from Matt Henry.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"I'll be interested to see if New Zealand can hang in there, bowling this line and length. If they can, they'll create chances. Henry's first over was the best over of the match, very consistent."

Barney, Jersey: Nothing against Lyth or Ballance but I really think that we need an aggressor in the top three, preferably a right hander. Alex Hales, for me, should be opening in the Ashes.

Ben, Hindon: Crazy talk re: Root. Why take your best batter and give him pressure of captaincy? Let the best player play. It's this crazy thinking that did for Botham, Flintoff and set in motion the whole KP disaster!

It's not happening for Trent Boult. He's bowling a tight line and getting a bit of movement but he just can't draw a rash shot from this England pair. His seventh over passes without incident, and that could be the end of his spell.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"I've found a Test XI with five wicketkeepers in - Zimbabwe against New Zealand in Napier in 2012, external - Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Forster Mutizwa, Tino Mawoyo and Regis Chakabva."

Don't tell me you've forgotten Forster Mutizwa!