Rutherford hits aggressive fifty

Hamish Rutherford collected an aggressive half-century on the opening morning against England Lions at a blustery Grace Road. However, his opening partners' early problems on tour continued with Peter Fulton falling cheaply, although the Lions attack were not consistent enough overall.Although New Zealand won against Derbyshire their top order did not cover themselves in glory against what was largely a second-string county attack. The line-up facing them here is a significant step up - Test quality in parts - and an important increase in intensity ahead of the Test match at Lord's next week.Rutherford's innings contained the hallmarks of his debut series in March: a strong preference for the off side, an attacking mindset but the propensity to offer bowlers a chance with a lack of footwork when he drives.During this session, however, the ones he flashed at did not take the edge and the ones he struck regularly came out of the middle with 11 boundaries in his half-century, which came from 55 deliveries. Twice he took three boundaries in an over, once off Chris Woakes then again from Toby Roland-Jones who struggled bowling into the strong breeze.The first wicket came in the seventh over when Fulton played round a full delivery from Graham Onions which would have taken out middle. When England's attack did not find much movement in New Zealand he was able to play to his favoured leg side with less risk, but the extra nip with the Duke ball on greener pitches makes it a likely mode of dismissal for him.Onions was given an eight-over spell with the new ball and pushed his length fuller than the other frontline quicks. He could have claimed Kane Williamson for 2 but Woakes spilled a rapid chance at gully. Williamson, however, did not build on his reprieve and pulled a short ball from Roland-Jones low to midwicket.Ross Taylor's first innings of the tour began in slightly uncertain style. Barring the hundred he made in the one-day series against England he has struggled since returning after the captaincy fall-out. He was beaten a couple of times outside off, drove close to point and needs a lengthy stay in the middle before the Tests