England To Bat First In New Zealand Day-night Test

Auckland, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2018 ) :England will bat first in the inaugural day-night Test in New Zealand after Black Caps captain Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bowl at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday.

All-rounder Ben Stokes was included in the England line-up as he makes his return to Test cricket after being dropped for the Ashes series following a nightclub incident. He has been troubled by back issues in recent weeks which has led to the omission of regular England number three James Vince and the inclusion of Craig Overton as an extra bowler.

England have had a disastrous run away from home in recent times, failing to win any of 11 Tests, including a 4-0 drubbing by Australia. "We need to make sure we put that right and come away with some success overseas," skipper Joe Root said.

"We have a lot of good bowlers, Craig Overton gets a chance today, So does (Chris) Woakes.

Stokes is a day-by-day monitoring process. He'll bat at five." This is the ninth day-night Test and the first to be played in New Zealand.

It will be England's third under lights in the past nine months, while New Zealand's only previous experience was the first-ever day-night Test in Australia in November 2015. Stuart Broad goes into the Test with 399 wickets, needing one more to join James Anderson in the 400 club.

New Zealand: Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult. England: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, James Anderson Umpires: Paul Reiffel (AUS), Bruce Oxenford (AUS) tv Umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA) Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)