The explosiveness of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow versus Colin Munro and Martin Guptill as openers; the experience of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan versus Williamson and Ross Taylor as the 3-4 punch; the steady Tom Latham versus the mercurial Jos Buttler as wicketkeepers; the jousting between pace bowling all-rounders Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Colin de Grandhomme, and spinning all-rounders Moeen Ali and Mitchell Santner; the leg spinning flair of Adil Rashid versus Ish Sodhi, the pace bowling prowess of David Willey and Tom Curran versus Southee and Trent Boult. That leaves New Zealand specialist batsman Henry Nicholls as a point of difference.
New Zealand have won nine straight ODIs. They last lost – by six runs - in the series-deciding thriller against India at Kanpur in October.
England have won eight of their last 10 completed matches. Until Sunday, the one loss – by three wickets – was on January 26 against Australia at Adelaide.
Williamson's availability in his home town of Tauranga appears pivotal.
In 15 ODIs against England he averages 53.92 at a strike rate of 91 compared to career marks of 46.15 and 83. Before his eight off 23 balls on Sunday he had made five consecutive half-centuries against them.
Coach Mike Hesson described his captain's injury as "mild" but said Williamson would have to prove his fitness to "make sure he's 100 per cent ready to go".
"It's a big blow … but you've got to have confidence in the squad," Hesson said.
"Throughout the year we've put in performances without Kane, so that won't be an excuse. He's a world-class player and quality leader, but our side's got to be good enough to cope."
Hesson said Central Districts' George Worker had been the first replacement considered, but he ruled himself out after standing on a ball during the Ford Trophy final at New Plymouth on the weekend.
Southee was considered the best option as stand-in skipper, despite Latham leading the team during the Ireland-Bangladesh tri-series last May. Southee and Williamson were involved in the Indian Premier League at the time.
"Tom's got plenty on his plate at the moment, [wicket]keeping and changing to batting in the middle order," Hesson said.
"Tim obviously did it [the captaincy] in the T20s earlier this summer, and did a good job."
Chapman's List A form propelled him into the selection mix.
His Ford Trophy average of 80 was the highest for any player who batted more than three times. He had a strike rate of 103 from eight innings and was the only batsman to score two centuries during the tournament.
Chapman also guided Auckland to victory in the final against CD at Pukekura Park, scoring 47 from 36 balls and securing his best figures in the format - three wickets for 41 runs from eight overs of left-arm orthodox spin.
He played England in the two T20 tri-series matches, making 20 from 13 balls in the Wellington win, and 37 not out from 30 balls in the Hamilton loss.
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