England's Kevin Pietersen follows a high ball to the boundary against New Zealand on the first day of the third Test at McLean Park, Napier yesterday. Pietersen made 129. - AP

NAPIER, New Zealand (AP):

KEVIN PIETERSEN found form at the perfect time for England, reaching his 11th Test century after a top-order failure on the first day of the third Test against New Zealand yesterday.

Pietersen ended a run of 10 Test innings without a half century - the longest and leanest streak of his career - to make 129 and guide England to 240 for seven at stumps after they had won the toss and batted.

"It is definitely something we had to fight through and it does not help when you are four for three," Pietersen told Britain's Sky Sports.

"What was weighing more on my mind was I was getting 30s and 40s in every Test match but had not gone on. Today I was really concentrating that when I got 50, I turned it into a big one."

His innings was eventually ended by teenage fast bowler Tim Southee, who provoked England's initial collapse and who captured three wickets yesterday in an outstanding Test debut.

Claimed wickets

Southee, who at 19 was the youngest New Zealander to make his Test debut since current captain Daniel Vettori started his career at 18 a decade ago, claimed wickets with his 11th and 17th balls in Tests to send England's innings into decline.

His first victim in Tests was England captain Michael Vaughan, trapped lbw for two, who had time on his way back to the pavilion to re-examine his decision to bat first at McLean Park - historically one of New Zealand's most batsman-friendly venues.

The pitch, well-grassed but rock hard, seemed to be ideal for batting - Vettori would also have batted had New Zealand won the toss - and Pietersen's essential command in an innings of 293 minutes bore out its positive properties.

It was Southee's ability to gain movement in the air, from his front-on delivery and high arm action, that undid the England batsmen - that, and their continuing propensity to throw away their wickets to poor shots.

Vaughan was caught crease-bound by a ball that nipped back from off stump, just beat the inside edge of the bat and hit him adjacent to middle and leg. He made two, continuing his poor series in New Zealand.

Early disarray

Andrew Strauss had not scored when he chased a ball from Southee leaving him outside off stump - a feat for the right armer bowling to the left hander - and sparred a low catch to Jamie How, diving to his left in the gully.

Chris Martin then bowled Alastair Cook to claim the third wicket to fall with four runs on the board, leaving England's innings in early disarray.