New Zealand 2008
Player profiles - England - Test
Buy this photo Michael Vaughan (captain)
The skipper has overseen three defeats in four series since the 2005 Ashes triumph and now needs to show the glimpses of class on display against India last summer and Sri Lanka before Christmas for longer periods. He returns to the top of the order after being successful in that position in Sri Lanka.
Tim Ambrose (wicketkeeper)
Having been in the shadow of Matt Prior in both county and international recognition for his entire first-class career, the Australia-born wicketkeeper gets his chance to press for a Test cap following his former Sussex team-mate's fall from grace.
James Anderson
The swing bowler generally turns in more impressive displays in one-day cricket but has shown himself as a genuine new-ball threat at Test level, notably against India last summer, and has more wickets (62) than Hoggard had at the same age.
Ian Bell
Confident of big scores upon promotion to number three in Sri Lanka, the Warwickshire batsman took his side to within sight of a first Test draw with twin half-centuries but once again showed his tendency to get out when well set for three figures. He has now been moved back down to number six, where he has flourished for England in the past.
Stuart Broad
Toiled hard on his Test baptism at the SSC earlier this winter, coping with two official warnings for running on the pitch, although he had only one debut wicket to show for his endeavour and was overlooked for the series finale. Is a useful man to have on the sidelines if injury strikes one of the main bowlers.
Paul Collingwood
The all-rounder has missed only one Test since the final Ashes Test of 2005, testament to how he has shed his one-day player tag with regular innings of substance - seven of his nine Test wickets have come in the past six months.
Alastair Cook
A seventh Test hundred hours before his 23rd birthday helped England limit the damage of Test defeat in Sri Lanka - only Sir Donald Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar have registered more centuries at the same age than the reliable left-hander.
Buy this photo Steve Harmison
Although he is some way off his peak years of 2003-04, the former world number one bowler showed his desire to play for England in Sri Lanka and will find greater assistance on New Zealand pitches as he strives to be the attack spearhead. After a wayward start, he found some success against the New Zealand Selection XI in the three-day warm-up.
Matthew Hoggard
Injuries restricted the Yorkshireman to just four Test appearances in 2007, following a previous stretch of 34 months without missing one - thus delaying his progress towards 250 career wickets - he is just three shy, and is almost certain to reach the milestone during the series with New Zealand.
Phil Mustard (wicketkeeper)
Known to all as the Colonel, the Durham gloveman left a favourable impression as a tourist in Sri Lanka with both one-day and Test squads and could be the latest to be offered the chance to make the wicketkeeping position his own. He enters the Test part of the tour as the back-up wicketkeeper, despite excellent performances in the one-dayers.
Monty Panesar
An overall haul of eight Test wickets was a disappointing return in subcontinental conditions for the left-arm spinner before Christmas and he may prove more effective, with the pressure off, in his duel with Daniel Vettori. Comparisons are already being made between the two and Panesar may benefit from watching Vettori up close.
Kevin Pietersen
Endured an extremely lean series by his impeccably high standards in Sri Lanka before Christmas but still averages in excess of 50 and will want to maintain his record of having scored a hundred against every Test opponent faced. He is England’s last double centurion.
Owais Shah
The batsman remained on the sidelines in Sri Lanka but will hope to oust Middlesex colleague Strauss for the final batting place in the Test XI at some point this series. He scored 96 against a New Zealand invitational side in the first warm-up match before the Tests, but was not chosen for the second or the first Test as Strauss retained his place.
Ryan Sidebottom
The Nottinghamshire seamer has suffered most from fielding lapses over the past six months but has regularly created chances - finishing man of the one-day series in Sri Lanka - and his determined batting has been a feature of England's lower order.
Andrew Strauss
Recalled after missing just one series, the England selectors will be hoping rest has refreshed a man who was dropped for a barren run which spanned a dozen Tests without a hundred and returned an average of 27. He returned to some sort of form in the warm-up game against a New Zealand Selection XI, hitting 104 before retiring out.
Graeme Swann
The spinner returned after an eight-year international absence for the tours of Sri Lanka, although he was not chosen for the Test matches, perhaps as much for concern about lack of depth to the pace attack. However, he has gained a place in the Test squad for New Zealand but is unlikely to feature on unconducive wickets.
