Cricket: England opener Strauss arrives for ND stint

England cricketer Andrew Strauss has touched down in New Zealand determined to cement his place back in his national side.

Strauss will play for Northern Districts but has now been named in the England test team for the tour which starts next month. He says he initially signed with ND because it seemed a good idea to be close at hand if there were injuries.

After a stellar start to his international career Strauss still averages over 40 in tests but has not scored a test ton in his last 25 innings since August 2006.

He says he lost form at a bad time in the midst of 18 months of cricket and did not have a chance to step away to reassess.

He says that was why he was dropped for the tour to Sri Lanka late last year.

Strauss' first match for ND is against Otago in Hamilton on Sunday.