England Prepares for Challenging Test Series Against New Zealand's Seam Attack

England faces a stern examination in Christchurch as New Zealand's strong home record and seam-focused strategy set the stage for a demanding three-match series.

• England's batters must adapt quickly to New Zealand's seam-heavy bowling attack after recent matches on spin-friendly pitches in Pakistan.
• New Zealand's squad for the first Test in Christchurch features four seamers, including the experienced Tim Southee and the in-form Matt Henry, with no frontline spinners selected.
• England’s warm-up match in Queenstown highlighted mixed performances, with Zak Crawley scoring 94 but the team collapsing to 249 all out against an inexperienced bowling attack.
• New Zealand boasts a strong home Test record, winning six of their last nine matches in Christchurch, where conditions are expected to favor seam bowlers.
• England’s bowling unit, led by Gus Atkinson, Chris Woakes, and Brydon Carse, showed promise in the warm-up game, but the team remains focused on refining their use of the Kookaburra ball ahead of the series opener.

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