England openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook took their side to 68 without loss in reply to New Zealand’s 277 all out at the close of the second day of the first Test at Lord’s on Friday.

When bad light stopped play for the fifth and final time, Cook was on 43 and Strauss had scored 24 with neither looking in any trouble against the Kiwi pace attack.

Earlier, Ryan Sidebottom turned in a miserly spell of four wickets for five runs in 10.1 overs as New Zealand were bowled out for 277. But considering New Zealand had been 104 for five, in overcast, seam-bowler friendly conditions after losing the toss, theirs was a fine recovery.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori did his best to keep England at bay with 48 before he was last man out, bowled by Sidebottom. Vettori’s innings supplemented wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum’s excellent run-a-ball 97 which began New Zealand’s fightback on Thursday.