HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP):

ROSS TAYLOR justified his risky selection with a maiden Test century for New Zealand on the second day of the first Test against England, yesterday.

Taylor set aside an indifferent start to his Test career - a previous best score of 17 in four innings - to make a disciplined 120 and guide New Zealand to 470 in their first innings, batting after winning the toss.

New Zealand then captured two English wickets in the last five overs before stumps to leave the tourists at 87 for two at the close of play. After captain Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook had put on 86 for the first wicket, lanky seamer Chris Martin returned for a second spell which earned the wickets of Cook for 38 and night watchman Matthew Hoggard for two.

Vaughan was 44 not out at stumps and Martin had two for 27 from 12 overs.

Earlier, Taylor marked his coming of age in Test cricket with an innings which smacked of determination and maturity. A rare Test player of Polynesian heritage, Taylor suppressed impetuosity and a natural attacking instinct to build an innings which lasted 322 minutes.

Forced recall

Taylor was a contentious selection for the match, the first of a three-Test series. He made a top score of 17 and averaged 11 in his first two Tests in South Africa last year and was discarded for New Zealand's home series against Bangladesh in December.

The poor form of Peter Fulton and a lack of bowling options forced Taylor's recall and he rewarded the selectors with an innings of painstaking care and precision.