The final countdown

Ahead of the Ashes,England play New Zealand in a two-Test series starting today

England have been left in no doubt about what will be required of them in the first Test against New Zealand starting at Lords on Thursday. The worlds second-ranked team struggled on their recent tour of New Zealand where they were outplayed in the three-Test series,salvaging a 0-0 draw only by stubbornly batting out a gripping final day of the third match in Auckland.

With the five-match Ashes series against Australia starting in July,captain Alastair Cook and his team mates know they must focus fully on beating New Zealand under the enterprising leadership of Brendon McCullum. They under-performed in New Zealand but you dont just discard somebody because they have had a bad time as a unit, England chairman of selectors Geoff Miller said.

You say right,not good enough,improve. Thats the message they have been given. New Zealand are a good side but we didnt play to the capabilities shown in the past. That has got to be rectified. We had one or two injuries to people you would class in your best side but it was very disappointing. They are capable of playing far better than that and know that and Im quietly confident that theyll show they are a better side.

England arrived in New Zealand on a high after their first Test series victory in India since 1985 but their batsmen failed to make enough runs to put the hosts under pressure. It keeps your feet on the ground, Miller said.

It makes you realise you cant just go through the motions and expect to win the game because,on paper,you are supposedly superior.

New Zealand,ranked eighth in the world,showed great resilience after a turbulent end to last year in which their captain Ross Taylor was sacked in acrimonious circumstances and they lost two tests in South Africa in January by an innings.

Seam movement

Peter Fulton made 347 runs in the series against England,including two centuries,and the pace attack of Tim Southee,Neil Wagner and Trent Boult caused the batsmen problems with consistent swing and seam movement.

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Southee has been suffering with a toe injury but coach Mike Hesson said he would be fit for Lords where the touring side are considering picking a four-man pace attack.

Absolutely thats an option, Hesson said. Were not closed in our views in terms of what we play. Whoever is left out will be a tough decision but weve got to pick the best side for the conditions. Tims fine, Hesson said.

It was very much a precautionary response from us. Hes had some treatment to his toe and were very comfortable hell be right for the first Test.

England will be without their leading middle-order batsman Kevin Pietersen through injury but 22-year-old Joe Root has been in prolific form this season,racking up 646 first-class runs including 179 for England Lions against New Zealand to enhance his burgeoning reputation.

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He and Jonny Bairstow will bat at numbers five and six for England who are likely to recall off-spinner Graeme Swann who missed the last series with an a elbow injury. Fast bowler Stuart Broad,who showed signs of a return to form in New Zealand with 11 test wickets after struggling in India,said England were fully focused on improving their performance.

We are very determined to put that right, he said. We have a huge summer ahead of us but there is nothing more important than the first hour on Thursday. We are very focused on just this week.

New Zealand will probably play Doug Bracewell as a fourth pace bowler,leaving out spinner Bruce Martin,and Hesson said they were not afraid to make changes going into the two-Test series.

Its nice to have unchanged line-ups in a row but not if its the right 11 for the match8230;.and thatll be the only focus, he said.

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