England set for fresh beginning after tough Ashes tour

Auckland: New Zealand’s first Test under lights with a pink ball is the 50th Test at Eden Park when they head into their first home day-night Test against England on Thursday.

Despite some injury concerns, New Zealand short-ball specialist Neil Wagner was focused on performing at the Eden Park fortress where the All Blacks are unbeaten in 40 rugby Tests dating back to 1994.

England quick bowler Chris Broad, meanwhile, believed the first day-night cricket Test on New Zealand soil could be decided in "one mad hour" -- less time than it takes for a rugby match.

England have selection issues as they ponder the workload Ben Stokes can handle with a troublesome back, while New Zealand are sweating on injured senior batsman Ross Taylor and have former Test opener Martin Guptill on stand-by as a middle order option.

The history of day-night Tests, using a pink ball, favours the home side who have won seven of the eight matches played so far. Further troubling England is their recent Test form, having lost the Ashes 4-0 to Australia in December and January.

Eden Park's short boundaries should favour batsmen, but that doesn't worry Wagner who had match figures of eight for 126 when New Zealand beat India at the ground in 2014 and took three wickets in a tense drawn Test against England the previous year.

But Broad, needing one more wicket to join teammate James Anderson as the only England players with 400 Test dismissals, believes the pink ball has a life of its own in New Zealand.

After 75 overs during an acclimatisation hit out in Hamilton last weekend the pink ball "still had the writing on, which is unheard of," Broad said.

Broad is expected to drop down to first change bowler for England, leaving Anderson and Chris Woakes to take the new ball, with a question mark over the remainder of the England bowling line-up.

Stokes suffered back stiffness after the one-day series earlier this month and if there is any doubt he can fill a full bowler's role then England could be tempted to drop a batsman, possibly James Vince, to bring in an extra pace bowler.

Teams from:

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson (Capt.), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry

England: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Joe Root (Capt.), Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, James Anderson, Craig Overton, Liam Livingstone, Mason Crane, James Vince, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach

Pitch and conditions
The curious shape of this rugby ground arguably affects white-ball matches more but the short boundary in one corner is still a factor. There are inevitably many unknowns about how the pink ball may behave here but don’t expect much pace from the drop-in pitch.

Stats and trivia

• Since 2011, when Pakistan won a two-Test series 2-1, only South Africa and Australia have won series in New Zealand.
• Stuart Broad will become the 15th bowler to take 400 Test wickets, he only one wicket away.
• Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are tied on 17 Tests centuries, equal with Martin Crowe as the most for New Zealand.
• If England fail to win in Auckland it will equal their longest winless run away from home of 12 matches, previously achieved between February 1939 to March 1948.

Match facts
22-26 March 2018 (day-night)
Start time 14:00 local (01:00 GMT)