Trescothick quells the opener's debate

Before this match, there was a suspicion that the wrong batsman had made way at the top of England's order. Of the three candidates to fill Nasser Hussain's shoes at No. 4, only one - Marcus Trescothick - has ever given the impression that he would fare better if protected from the new ball. Typically, Trescothick confounded such talk with a century of immense skill and even better timing - in every sense of the word.

Michael Vaughan's bitty foray late in the day ensured that the debate will not end here, but today of all emotional days is not the time to judge his merits in the middle order. Instead it is time to savour Trescothick's effort. He produced a magnificent innings - one of his finest and most fluent yet, in which he reminded the critics of his virtues against the new ball.

Of the eight boundaries that took him to his fifty, seven of them were thumped arrow-straight back past the bowler, or forced impeccably through the covers. When in form, and aware of his off stump, he is a batsman who thrives on the extra oomph that is generated with the new ball, and as such, he is a genuine asset at the top of the order.

How long that form will last, and what will trigger the next downturn, is impossible to say, although judging by the speed with which he and Andrew Strauss have cemented their opening partnership, Trescothick is thriving on the responsibility of being England's senior opener. It is not a role he has had to play very often in the past. Michael Atherton was England's rock of ages when Tresco first came on the scene, and by the time he had sat out three Tests with a broken thumb in 2002, Vaughan was in mid-purple patch, and well on his way to assuming the captaincy.

Strauss has made a stunning entry into Test cricket, but his innings today was not without its anxieties. He made a particularly fretful start - Kyle Mills might have run him out without scoring, and his first shot in anger was a top-edged pull that flew over the slips for four. Fortunately Trescothick was on hand to ease his partner's jitters, and as he kept the scoreboard ticking, Strauss was allowed time to settle. The purists might prefer to see a left/right combination, but for the moment, Trescothick is enjoying playing the role of old pro, and England are reaping the benefits.

If the opener's debate is the hot topic of the moment, then the question of who should be the wicketkeeper is rumbling not far beneath the surface. Today, however, it was not Geraint Jones's fumbling gloves that were in the spotlight, but his opposite number, Brendon McCullum's.

McCullum's credentials as a No. 8 batsman are beyond reproach. Today he produced his fourth half-century in eight innings, and it was every bit as timely as his 96 at Lord's last week. But the errors behind the stumps are beginning to pile up, and Trescothick had made only 52 when he was reprieved in Vettori's first over - a thin snick that ran away for four.

For the time being however, McCullum's virtues with the bat far outweigh his frailties behind the stumps, especially given the uncharacteristic brittleness of New Zealand's tail. By losing their last three wickets for no runs - the last of them an ugly smear from Daniel Vettori to give Steve Harmison his third four-wicket haul of the series - New Zealand once again forfeited a strong position with a cluster of wickets.

On the flip side, however, England's prospects were even more severely dented by two vital wickets in nine balls in the dying moments of the day. Any more accidents early tomorrow, and Trescothick and Strauss may yet find themselves having to prove they can do stickability, as well as style.