New Zealand vs England Live Cricket Score, 1st Test Day 1 at Mount Maunganui

New Zealand vs England Live: New Zealand captain Tim Southee won the toss and chose to bowl in the first Test against England at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Thursday.

The depleted Black Caps have handed Test debuts to seam bowlers Blair Tickner and Scott Kuggeleijn in a four-pronged pace attack for the day-night encounter.

In-form England, who have won nine of their last 10 Tests, have included spinner Jack Leach despite the struggles slower bowlers traditionally experience in pink ball Tests and in New Zealand conditions.

Southee, who is leading his country in a Test on home soil for the first time, hoped his inexperienced attack could generate early movement.

“It’s obviously browned off considerably since yesterday but hopefully we can make the most of it with the ball early on,” he said after a week where the pitch has been largely under cover because of Cyclone Grabrielle.

Stokes said he was relieved he lost the toss.

“I didn’t really know what I was going to do. If I did win, I was just going to go with the first thing going through my head,” he said.

Prolific pace pair James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have 1,241 Test wickets between them, replace Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed in the two changes from England’s team that won the third Test in Karachi in December to sweep the series.

New Zealand’s three changes are also in their bowling attack.

Tickner, Kuggeleijn and veteran paceman Neil Wagner replace Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel from the side who drew with Pakistan in Karachi six weeks ago.

Preparations for both sides have been disrupted by the storms which hit New Zealand and triggered a national state of emergency on Tuesday.

Mount Maunganui avoided significant damage and play was set to start on time on Thursday, although showers were forecast.

New Zealand XI: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Scott Kuggeleijn, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee (capt), Blair Tickner.

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Ben Foakes, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Jack Leach, James Anderson.

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