Nathan Smith is congratulated by his teammates after removing Joe Root for a duck in his second over. Photo: Getty Images

Oamaru allrounder Nathan Smith has knocked the top off the England batting order on debut in the first test in Christchurch. 

He claimed the wickets of fellow debutant Jacob Bethell and England's all-time leading run-scorer Joe Root in the final over before lunch. 

The tourists reached the break on 45-3 after Matt Henry earlier dismissed Zak Crawley for a duck.

New Zealand were finally bowled out for 348 in the morning.

Seamer Brydon Carse took 4-64 and spinner Shoaib Bashir 4-69 for England but an unbeaten 58 from Otago's Glenn Phillips helped the home side extend their overnight tally by 29 runs at the cost of their last two wickets.

Ben Duckett, who was 32 not out, survived a searching examination from the New Zealand seam attack and will resume for the second session looking to steady the innings after two wickets fell in the last over before the break.

Tim Southee opened the bowling in what will be his final test series but it was his new-ball partner Matt Henry who got the early breakthrough in the fourth over.

A little nip off the seam on a straight delivery beat Crawley's attempted drive and the ball cannoned into his front pad with the batsman wisely deciding not to review the lbw decision.

Bethell took an age to get off the mark but looked like he would make it to lunch until he got an outside edge on a delivery from fellow test debutant Smith and departed caught behind for 10.

All-rounder Smith, who now plies his trade for Wellington, did not have to wait long for his second test wicket as Joe Root, playing his 150th test, chopped on for a duck four balls later.

 - Additional reporting ODT Online