New Zealand vs England, 1st Test: Dom Sibley set for England debut as Sam Curran preferred to Chris Woakes
Dom Sibley will open the batting for England in the first Test against New Zealand, while Sam Curran has been given the nod ahead of Chris Woakes.
The opening clash of the two-match series begins in Mount Maunganui on Thursday, with debutant Sibley joining Rory Burns at the top of the order.
Curran has been preferred to fellow all-rounder Woakes in a line-up unchanged from the three-day warm-up fixture with New Zealand A.
Warwickshire star Sibley scored 14 in that match, in which England batted for only one innings and settled for a draw.
He was the stand-out performer in the 2019 County Championship season, scoring 1,324 runs at an average of 69.68.
England, who beat the Black Caps in the Cricket World Cup final and won the T20 series 3-2, have won only two of their last 11 Test series away from home.
England team to face New Zealand:Â
Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Joe Denly, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad.