Fast bowler Blair Tickner will make his test debut for New Zealand in the first test against England in Day-Night starting on Thursday. The 29-year-old gets his chance with injury sidelining Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry on leave for the birth of his first child.

He is expected to join a pace attack featuring veteran quick Southee and Neil Wagner, though the New Zealand captain said at a pre-match press conference that the final XI had yet to be confirmed.

Tickner, 29, has played six one-day and 11 Twenty20 internationals for the Blackcaps. Jacob Duffy and Scott Kuggelijn were also brought into the 14-man squad as injury replacements, one of them will also debut if New Zealand opts to use four pace bowlers as expected.

Stuart Broad Will Return To Playing 11 For England Against New Zealand

England will have veteran quick bowler Stuart Broad returning to their XI for the first game of the two-test series. He’ll join James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, to form the pace attack. England Test captain Ben Stokes confirmed the return of veteran pacer Stuart Broad for the first Test against New Zealand, which will be a day-night affair with the pink ball on February 16 onwards.

Stokes was quoted as saying by Talk sport:

“How we’ve gone about our selections and stuff like that, especially in England and here, [which are] similar conditions, the team we pick, especially with the ball, has the bases all covered,” Stokes said

Stokes further went on to add that is he unsure about the weather and he is hopeful of having a result in the series

“I don’t know if the weather is going to play any part in this game going forward. but I’m sure we’ll still come up with a way to hopefully force a result regardless of how much time is taken away,” Stokes added.