But things changed 15 minutes after the interval when the second new ball was taken.
Finally, in the 78th over of the day, Smith top-edged the new ball to point.
After a surprisingly muted start, the pair got going following the arrival of the new ball.
Surprisingly, the 32-year-old Gloucestershire seamer was given the new ball ahead of Stuart Broad.
Haddin then lofted Ntini's second delivery with the new ball directly to Proteas debutant JP Duminy.
But he felt it was not a fluent knock until the second new ball arrived.
"What helped was actually getting the new ball, that gave me a lot of confidence, " the 29-year-old said.
Amla quickly disproved the theory that he might be susceptible to the new ball, however, with another disciplined performance.
Opening batsmen tend to play a few shots against the new ball, and that was Trescothick's approach this morning.
But in the final session, England's seamers did what India's had twice failed to do - take wickets with the new ball.
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Again, this was an error and 36 runs came from the first six overs bowled with the new ball.
With the light fading, and after a previous short delay for bad light, Vaughan opted to take the new ball.
But once the new ball had lost its edge, batting was easy - as it had been throughout the match.
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"We thought about 80 and then a couple more with the new ball if required would be enough, " he said.
Pathan, earlier unimpressive with the new ball, returned in the 44th over for a spell he will want to forget.
Iain O'Brien had both batsmen caught behind as the visitors fought back with the new ball in the closing stages.
During its inaugural season, 3, 168, 571 fans hurried through the turnstiles to enjoy the sights and sounds of the new ball park.
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Brunt then took four wickets with the new ball before Mithali Raj and Amita Sharma put on 112 to revive India.
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However, once that player or manager leaves and moves on to a new ball club, they must divest their equity immediately.
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Sean Ervine, given the new ball at the start of play, quickly accounted for Strauss, who edged to wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu.
After the loss of Westwood, Kumar Sangakkara lost his off-stump to Ottis Gibson in his first over with the new ball.
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He continued to counterattack after the second new ball before providing Tahir with his final wicket, finishing with figures of 5-96.
If players score a goal before 5 pm on Shrove Tuesday, the first ball is retired and a new ball is put into play.
The focus was squarely on Katich and Shane Watson when Aamer and Asif shared the new ball for the one-hour pre-lunch session.
He was expected to take the new ball with Matthew Hoggard against the Black Caps at Seddon Park on Tuesday, 4 March.
Naved then took the new ball for Pakistan but was withdrawn from the attack after conceding 22 from his first two overs.
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The second new ball had no impact - although Anderson bowled one or two lovely outswingers which just evaded the outside edge.
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The one notable absentee from the England squad is new ball bowler Katherine Brunt, who is still recuperating from a back problem.
Chaminda Vaas took 2-4 in a five-over burst with the new ball.
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