England's squad is a mix of new faces and experienced hands. The Herald looks at a quintet who will be influential figures in their New Zealand campaign.
Click on the View Photos link below the image to view the entire England squad.
KEY POINTS:
1. Steve Harmison
The most surprising thing about Harmison's famous Ashes first ball in Brisbane last season was not that it ended up in Andrew Flintoff's mitts at second slip, it was Flintoff's reaction - nonchalant as if he expected it.
Before his Ashes nightmare, the lanky
29-year-old sat among the game's premier speedsters, capable of real hostility, most memorably when he roared through the West Indies, taking seven for 12 at Jamaica in 2004.
He was an ever-present in England's team which regained the Ashes in 2005 and his 55 tests have produced 207 wickets at 31.
But his radar went wonky after that. His first 36 tests produced 142 wickets, the last 20 69.
Still, if he is on song he'll be a handful, no batsman enjoys pace allied to sharp lift, let alone a group with serious questions hanging over them going into the series.
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2. Monty Panesar
So who's the world's best left arm spinner? A clue: It's not Brad Hogg.
Until a couple of years ago Daniel Vettori had that one sewn up. Now Monty Panesar has emerged to offer a decent squareoff during the three-test series. He'll miss the ODIs, having been sent to India with the A team to work on his bowling, which has lost some of its snap.
His first test wicket was Sachin Tendulkar; Rahul Dravid was his third. Not a bad start and he's taken 81 wickets in 23 tests.
Panesar, born in Luton 25 years ago, is potentially England's best spinner since Derek Underwood three decades ago. He could have been a key player in England's Ashes defence last summer, except he was left on the sidelines until the third test, by which time the horse had long bolted.
He's known for his exuberant celebrations upon taking a wicket, which were endearing but now can verge on irritating. Like Pietersen, he has yet to play New Zealand in a test and. also, like Pietersen, he can decisively swing a game England's way.
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3. Matthew Hoggard
The fair-haired Yorkie is a deceptive chap. At first glance, he can seem a hardworking trundler. But the stats tell a different story.
He has taken more test wickets for England than all but five men - Ian Botham (383), Bob Willis (325), Fred Trueman (307), Derek Underwood (297) and Brian Statham (252).
The 31-year-old Hoggard's 247 in 66 tests speak eloquently of a bloke who has not only plugged away diligently for the cause, but is capable of match-winning spells of swing bowling. Expect Hoggard to be a handful with the new ball. He'll lick his lips at the prospect of a spot of humidity in the Hamilton air; the breezy Basin Reserve will suit him too.
Harmison will be the pace ace, if he finds the pitch; Ryan Sidebottom is the late blooming left armer.
Hoggard is the rock, upon whom England's bowling fortunes could rest in the tests.
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4. Kevin Pietersen
A shy, retiring chap with the personality of a mouse. Nah, just kidding.
The South African-born middle order batsman will never die wondering, and he's a brash extrovert to boot.
Since making his England debut in late 2004, Pietersen has become a critical component for England.
He cleared his throat with three centuries against South Africa in his first nine ODI innings, and done in a hostile environment for the young man from Pietermaritzburg.
His most critical innings was his series-clinching 158 against Australia at The Oval in the Ashes triumph three years ago.
Pietersen, 27, has only played one ODI against New Zealand - 60 at Gros Islet during last year's World Cup - and no tests.
But he's rattling along at 49.77 in the short game, 50.4 in tests so he's unlikely to be twitchy. at the prospect of tackling New Zealand's bowling attack.
A matchwinner oozing self belief.
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5. Michael Vaughan
Will lead England in the tests, but is not wanted in the ODI side. There's an old theory - put about most prominently by the West Indies when they had a cluster of menacing speedsters, and Australia, when they had Glenn McGrath - that if they could chop the opposing captain down to size, their job was made much easier.
Vaughan averages 43.54 over his 73 tests, with 17 hundreds. He's a fine batsman, but New Zealand will look at what he's done against them - five tests, averaging 23.88 - and take heart. He was among the world's best, notably when taking three hundreds in a series off the Australians in 2002-03. Now he shares the captaincy with Paul Collingwood which new chairman of selectors Geoff Miller doesn't like.
Collingwood has led England to back-to-back ODI series wins. Think there's a spot of heat on Vaughan? A pile of runs won't hurt. Neither will a series win.
