Matt Henry struck twice on his return to international cricket as a much-changed New Zealand reduced England to 152-4 at tea on the first day of the second Test at Edgbaston on Thursday.
England, who had been 72-0, lost three wickets for 13 runs shortly after lunch as they slumped to 85-3, with captain Joe Root out for just four.
But opener Rory Burns, fresh from his hundred in the drawn first Test at Lord's last week, was still there on 73 not out.
Henry, one of six changes to New Zealand's side, deserved his interval figures of 2-36 in 13 overs.
The paceman, in for the veteran Tim Southee -- one of three New Zealand players rested ahead of next week's inaugural World Test Championship final against India at Southampton -- started the slump.
Dom Sibley tried to leave a Henry away-swinger but was caught behind for 35.
England's 72-1 became 73-2 when Zak Crawley's miserable run continued with a duck, the batsman caught in the slips after a loose shot off left-arm paceman Neil Wagner -- the only surviving member of New Zealand's attack from Lord's.
It was Crawley's ninth single-figure score in 11 Test innings since his stunning 267 against Pakistan last year.
Henry then captured the prize wicket of key batsman Root, caught behind off an excellent outswinger that moved late.
Root had won the toss and batted despite overcast conditions that appeared to favour his attack, once again without a specialist spinner.
New Zealand had to make three injury-enforced changes, with captain and key batsman Kane Williamson (elbow), spinner Mitchell Santner (cut finger) and BJ Watling (sore back) all missing from the side.
Their places were taken by Will Young, Ajaz Patel and Tom Blundell respectively, with Tom Latham captaining the team.
Patel and wicket-keeper Blundell then combined when Ollie Pope (19) was caught behind edging an intended cut off the left-arm spinner.
Experienced left-arm seamer Trent Boult, back in the team after family leave, was wicketless after conceding a mere 28 runs in 14 overs.
Meanwhile, James Anderson's 162nd appearance saw him become England's most-capped Test player, breaking the record he had shared with retired former captain Alastair Cook.
England made one change, with fast bowler Olly Stone replacing Ollie Robinson who, following a successful on-field Test debut at Lord's, was suspended from international cricket after the emergence of historic racist and sexist Twitter posts.
Despite the furore over Robinson's tweets, both teams again stood for a 'moment of unity' before play designed to show their opposition to discrimination within cricket.
And they were roared on to the field by a crowd of some 17,000 -- two-thirds of Edgbaston's capacity -- as part of the British Government's easing of coronavirus restrictions.
England captain Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat against New Zealand in the second and final Test at Edgbaston on Thursday as James Anderson became the hosts' most-capped player of all time.
Anderson, already Test cricket's leading all-time paceman with 616 wickets, was making his 162nd appearance, surpassing the England record he had shared with retired former captain Alastair Cook.
"I remember the worry of not being good enough for this level, but the more I've worked at it and understood my game, the more I felt like I've belonged here," the 38-year-old Anderson told the BBC before play.
England made one change, with Warwickshire fast bowler Olly Stone replacing Ollie Robinson after the Sussex quick who made his Test debut at Lord's, was left out after being suspended following the re-emergence of racist and sexist tweets.
It meant that England were once again without a specialist spinner, with Root deciding to bat first despite overcast conditions that promised to assist his pace attack.
An injury-hit New Zealand made six changes in total, with wicketkeeper BJ Watling's withdrawal due to a back injury announced less than half-an-hour before the toss.
New Zealand were already without captain and star batsman Kane Williamson, resting a longstanding elbow injury in the hope of being fit for the Black Caps' appearance in next week's inaugural World Test Championship final against India at Southampton.
And that match also appeared to be behind the decision to leave out spearhead quick Tim Southee and bring in Matt Henry.
Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner was ruled out with a cut finger, with his place taken by Ajaz Patel.
Tom Latham took over as captain, with Will Young, who has made two first-class hundreds for English county side Durham this season, coming into the side at number three.
Wellington's Tom Blundell replaced Watling in a team where Neil Wagner was the only member of the bowling attack to keep his place from Lord's.
New Zealand welcomed back Trent Boult after the left-arm seamer missed the first Test having taken family leave following the suspension of the Indian Premier League.
Meanwhile Colin de Grandhomme and Kyle Jamieson, who both played at Lord's.
As in the series opener, the team shared a 'moment of unity' before play on the first day designed to show their opposition to discrimination within cricket.
Crowds of up to 17,000 per day were expected for this match as part of the British government's continued easing of Covid-19 restrictions, with both sides taking the field to a huge roar from spectators.