england

England have made two changes to their line-up for the opening Test against New Zealand as they attempt to bounce back from their pre-Christmas defeat in Sri Lanka.

The tourists made the unexpected decision to announce their team a day before the Test starts at Seddon Park on Wednesday and confirmed wayward spearhead Steve Harmison would keep his place in the attack.

Andrew Strauss returns to the line-up to bat at number three for the first time in his Test career and replaces Ravi Bopara, who was dropped from the Test squad for New Zealand after scoring only 42 runs in three Tests in Sri Lanka.

New wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose is also poised to make his debut as a replacement for Matt Prior, who was also dropped after the Sri Lanka tour.

Otherwise the England line-up is as expected and Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Ryan Sidebottom, who has recovered from a right hamstring strain, will form their seam attack with Monty Panesar providing the spin option.

England team for first Test against New Zealand: Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire, captain), Alistair Cook (Essex), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire, wicketkeeper), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire), Steve Harmison (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire).