Black Caps v England live updates: First test day one from Lord’s

Concerns over Matt Henry's fitness have eased, positioning the Black Caps to deploy their full-strength bowling attack in the first test against England at Lord's. Henry, who had a "low grade left hamstring strain," missed the recent victory over Ireland but has since traveled to London and bowled, with coach Rob Walter confirming he is "100% fit and ready."

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He’s all good. He bowled today while we were travelling, being in London already. All things point to being 100% fit and ready.

The availability of Henry, alongside Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke, presents a formidable pace-bowling unit. Jamieson and O'Rourke, both tall fast bowlers, are expected to feature together in a test match for the first time. Jamieson returns after a back injury sidelined him for nearly two years, while O'Rourke stepped up during his absence before suffering his own back issue. Both have completed their recovery programs, and the team anticipates their peak performance over the next four weeks.

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We’ve got every intention of having all our fast bowlers fit, firing and ready for the first test. We’re certainly not looking to manage anyone for game one.

Nathan Smith is the likely fourth seamer, having shown his potential with a six-wicket haul against Ireland. While Blair Tickner also performed well, Smith's batting ability secures him the No. 8 position. Coach Walter emphasized the need for an all-rounder at that spot, stating Smith "owns that spot for now" if fit. The primary absence from the pace attack is Jacob Duffy, the reigning Sir Richard Hadlee medallist. The team aims to have all fast bowlers fully fit for the opening test, with no intention of managing workloads for the first game.

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There’s no secrets for me in the fact that No 8 needs to be an allrounder who can bat. Nathan has been that guy prior to getting injured. If he’s fully fit and firing, he owns that spot for now.