New Zealand v England - Series Preview

A series that pits top against bottom might not promise much on paper, but there will be a great deal at stake as England undertake their first ATG tour of New Zealand. In what is England's last outing before next season's Ashes series, victory will give them sole possession of the number one ranking that they currently share with Australia, and Len Hutton's team boast a proud record of eight successive series without defeat since surrendering the Ashes in the first ever ATG series.

New Zealand meanwhile sit adrift and alone on the bottom rung of the Test ladder, with only three wins in thirty Tests, although one of those was against England when Stephen Boock famously claimed 8-67 as the Kiwis snatched victory off the last ball of an incredible Lord's Test. Boock has struggled for form and fitness since then but is expected to play a full part in this series, and England's squad sees a number of changes since their 0-0 draw in Pakistan. Ken Barrington and Jim Laker return from injury, there are recalls for Peter May, Bob Willis and Harold Larwood, whilst Les Ames and Wilfred Rhodes are included for the first time. The most high profile casualties of this shake-up are Alan Knott and Alec Bedser, who both lose their squad places for the first time.

England's Squad
L Hutton (c), WR Hammond (v/c), LEG Ames, KF Barrington, MC Cowdrey, TG Evans, AW Greig, JB Hobbs, JC Laker, H Larwood, PBH May, W Rhodes, JA Snow, JB Statham, FS Trueman, RGD Willis.