Debutant Emilio Gay was proud to help England take “the driving seat” against New Zealand after top-scoring in some of the most difficult Test conditions he is likely to experience.Gay has been planning his ascent for years but nothing would have prepared him for the chaos of his first cap, with 33 wickets in two days on a pitch offering extreme seam movement and inconsistent bounce.The hosts held all the cards as play closed on Friday night, with New Zealand 36 for three chasing 254 on a precarious track that has proved a goldmine for fast bowlers.Their position owed plenty to Gay’s resolve, with the left-hander making a determined 57 from 95 deliveries against a classy Kiwi attack. With the ball dominating every session of play, nobody has scored more or survived as long.“The last couple of days have been a bit of a whirlwind but it was nice to score runs and help the team in tough conditions. I had to work hard,” said the 26-year-old.“In a low-scoring game for both sides, little 20-run partnerships have been important and with fourth-innings pressure on that wicket, I think we’re in the driving seat. It’s a great position.“It’s been a tough day, the pitch had its demands, but that’s the beauty of Test cricket and the challenge it brings. The most important thing was trying to embrace it and see it as an opportunity.”Gay’s knock was no technical masterclass, punctuated by a handful of thick edges and false shots, but his success of staying alive on a deck that has already seen 18 single-figure dismissals was put into perspective by former England captain Michael Vaughan.Reviewing the day for BBC’s Test Match Special, Vaughan said: “This isn’t a fair balance between bat and ball. It’s not a test for the bowlers, because it has been too easy.Emilio Gay in action on day two (Ben Whitley/PA) (PA Wire)“This pitch isn’t up to standard. I feel sorry for the batters. This is the best place to play cricket and I feel very fortunate that I didn’t have to bat on many pitches like this.”But Gay, who has previously represented Italy in T20 cricket and won selection on the back of heavy runs for Durham in Division Two of the County Championship, was simply revelling in the biggest stage of his career.“The whole couple of days has felt like a bit of a dream: 30,000 fans at Lord’s, tough conditions, getting my cap with my family here,” he said.“I’ve just been looking around…I think the other fielders think I’m daydreaming but I’m not, I’m just trying to lap it up and enjoy it.“At this level it’s just more cameras, more people watching, so it’s about having confidence in your technique when all those people are looking at it.”Gus Atkinson struck twice for England with the new ball to hand them the initiative deep in the afternoon session, with Josh Tongue adding the prize scalp of key batter Kane Williamson.