England vs. New Zealand, 1st Test: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

England will begin their long and testing summer with two Tests against New Zealand, starting on Thursday. The first Test is at Lord’s, and the hosts will have as much to prove as the visitors.

Date: Thursday, May 21 — Monday, May 25

Time:  11 a.m. local (10 a.m. GMT)

Venue: Lord's, London

Live stream and TV info: Sky Sports (UK), SKY Sport (New Zealand), SuperSport (South Africa), STAR Sport (India)

Weather:  The news on the weather front isn’t too bad, according to the BBC. It’s going to be relatively mild (20 degrees Celsius) and cloudy throughout, but as it stands, there are no severe showers forecast. This is England, though, and whenever there is cricket, there will more than likely be rain.

Overview

Another summer, another controversy, that’s the case for England at the moment, ahead of their
Test series against New Zealand. For England, the two-Test series offers an opportunity to put the latest in a long line of Kevin Pietersen fiascos behind them.

For New Zealand, it’s a chance to prove once again that they are a team on the up. The conditions will favour the visitors’ new ball pair of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, although they might be somewhat concerned that neither has had a warm-up match in England.

Both players have been out in India, playing in the Indian Premier League, but the back-up bowlers were good enough to help New Zealand win both their tour matches.

In hindsight, though, it might be a good thing that Boult and Southee missed out since they are experienced campaigners. It will be business as usual when they resume their opening rules, but giving the coach a chance to get a closer look at the third-seamer might have been a good thing.

It will be between Matt Henry, Doug Bracewell and Neil Wagner as to who will tussle it out for the first-change spot. Coach Mike Hesson has indicated that all three are a possibility, according to NZCity.co.za. The final decision will depend largely on the conditions at Lord’s on Thursday. Hesson also said that both Corey Anderson and off-spinner Mark Craig will feature in the starting XI.

England do not have any big selection dramas, having named a 12-man squad for the first Test, which guarantees Adam Lyth the opening berth he missed out on during the recent tour to the Caribbean.

With Jonathan Trott now retired from international cricket, Lyth, last season’s best batsman in the County Championship, will face a baptism by fire against a New Zealand attack which must be licking its lips at the prospect of England’s swinging conditions.

New Zealand last toured England in 2013, with England winning both Tests rather emphatically, but Boult and Southee were devastating, taking 20 wickets between them. Not a single batsman from the Black Caps averaged over 36.00 in those two Tests, but they are arguably a more mature, more determined and much-improved team now.

Besides, with the cobwebs of boardroom dramas forever following England around, it’s hard to imagine that they will be completely without distraction.

Key players

England

Joe Root found some form in the Caribbean with two half-centuries and an unbeaten 182. Root has been earmarked as the next England captain, but he can’t worry about those responsibilities just yet. With an Ashes series ahead, Root’s stubbornness and ability to dig in will go a long way in helping England set a solid foundation against New Zealand’s probing attack.

New Zealand

The last time Tim Southee toured England for a Test series, he took 12 wickets in two matches at an average of 19.58. Supported by Boult, he is one of the most destructive swing bowlers in world cricket and will be relishing the opportunity to prove himself once more.

Squads

England: Alastair Cook, Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Chris Jordan, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Mark Wood

New Zealand: Kane Williamson, BJ Watling, Neil Wagner, Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Luke Ronchi, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum