Wagner is looking to bang in plenty of short balls at Stoneman.

The left-armer goes round the wicket to the left-handed batsman and duly targets the ribs with one that Stoneman fends off.

The last is a full-on bouncer that Stoneman ducks under.

Bad Banjo Botherer: There’s no point in moaning about the averages of Vince or Stoneman. When your lead batsman Cook looks repeatedly like he’s juggling wet soap it gives no confidence to those new in the team. Time to stop the nepotism in selection and drop Cook for the team's good.

Stoneman dabs the last ball down the ground for a single. A solid start from Sodhi.

Image source, Reuters

Sodhi finds turn and bounce to rip it onto Stoneman's pads.

Appeal but not out. That was going down leg.

First look at spin in this Test as leg-spinner Ish Sodhi comes into the attack.

Chris M-S: It still find it ridiculous that Buttler is deemed not to be as suitable as Vince for the Test team.

Craven Burnham: Now England have reached 58 I'm off to sleep.

Sean Broughton: Stoneman needs a Test century. Feel like he'll score plenty in Test cricket once he gets that monkey off his back.

Root punches nicely through extra cover for a couple before an upper cut races away to the fence.

Good response from Wagner, who finds a bit of lift but Root gets on top of the bounce well. A bumper to finish that Root ducks under.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

We were talking about stump microphones the other night. Sir Richard Hadlee said they should be turned off and Scott Styris said they should turn them up. I used to be in the they should turn them off camp, but I've started to sway. If you're going to use inappropriate language, the world knows, and it's a deterrent.

Shot! Width from De Grandhomme and Root crisply drives it square for three.

And that equals England's first innings score from Auckland! *Hollow laughter*

Rob from Derby [18th over] claiming the selectors are not looking north of London has provoked some responses:

Graham from Sussex: The fact that six of the XI playing are north of London has escaped you? This is a quality issue not a geography issue.

Steve, Oxford: It's Yorkshire the selectors need to get beyond, not London...

Mark from Southampton: Keaton Jennings?

And it's a maiden to start for Wagner, starting full and then dropping his length to Root. Plenty of bustle, as you'd expect.

It is indeed, Vic.

Here is Neil Wagner into the attack...

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Is this the moment for Mr Wagner?

A bit of dross from De Grandhomme - short, wide and slow and Stoneman adeptly cuts it away to the fence.

November Alpha Victor: James Vince is the Dejan Lovren of cricket. Better players in the side but still somehow manages to make the starting XI.

John Daniels: Might as well give Buttler a go at three. If he belts it and it comes off great; if not it can’t be worse than Vince.

Rhiannon Garth Jones: James Vince should be the lunchtime entertainment. Like cheerleaders at football, but better. And people could bet on when he'd get out. Like a raffle, but better. Surely a better idea than him playing at three?

Joe Root runs it through gully twice for two runs each time and that's the fifty up for England.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Stoneman has shaped up quite nicely today. By his own admission, this is a huge Test for him. Runs here are massive for the start of England's Test summer.

Stoneman swivels a pull shot away for a couple. Eek, that's loose though - a flashing drive at a wide one that the England opener misses.

No mistake off the last ball - not as wide but enough to allow Stoneman to backwards cut it through gully to the fence.

Hamish: If Vince played for Somerset he’d be uncapped. Look at James Hildreth - reliable run machine but stuck at an unfashionable county. Same as Crane being picked over Leach originally.

Mart: Sadly Vince playing around and across. Must play straight and again a failure. Worrying top order... Basic defects and poor shots costing Eng dear.

Scott: James Vince is clearly a good player. He's just not Test match good. A problem we have too much of.

Good contest between Southee and Root, the England skipper moving on from that blow to the helmet to play out a testing maiden.