London: New Zealand won the toss Wednesday and opted to bat first at Lord’s in the first of two cricket tests against England.
Opening batsman Devon Conway was making his test debut for New Zealand, which is using the series as preparation for the inaugural World Test Championship final against India, also being staged in England this month.
England was without an allrounder in the injury-enforced absence of Ben Stokes and went with an all-seam attack, with the old guard of James Anderson and Stuart Broad joined by Mark Wood and test debutant Ollie Robinson. Also winning his first test cap was wicketkeeper James Bracey.
Anderson was playing his 161st test, tied with Alastair Cook for the most for England, whose busy international summer of cricket also includes a five-test series against India starting August.
The match was set to begin under blue skies in northwest London, with the home of cricket having a 25% capacity during the pandemic and hosting its first international match since an Ashes test between England and Australia in 2019.
England: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Dan Lawrence, James Bracey, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, B.J. Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner.