England set to launch Ben Stokes era against New Zealand

England will hope to make a fresh start under their new leadership duo of captain Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum against the coach's native New Zealand at Lord's on Thursday. Stokes, himself born in New Zealand but brought up in Cumbria, northwest England, has succeeded Joe Root as England's Test skipper after his close friend stood down following a run of poor results. Chris Silverwood's sacking after a 4-0 Ashes series loss in Australia paved the way for McCullum's appointment as England's new Test coach, with the former New Zealand captain's first match in charge pitting him against a side he knows so well. England hope the attacking approach McCullum pioneered while kick-starting a New Zealand revival that culminated in the Black Caps being crowned World Test champions last year, by when he had retired as a player, will rub off on his new team. "My job will be to plan as if you'll live forever, but live as if you'll die tomorrow," said McCullum ahead of a three-match series.

He would appear to have a kindred spirit alongside him in aggressive all-rounder Stokes. England have also 'gone back to the future' by recalling experienced new-ball duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad to their squad at Lord's. The pair, England's two most successful bowlers at this level, with 1,177 Test wickets between them, were controversially omitted from a recent 1-0 series loss in the Caribbean. That reverse meant England had won just one of their last 17 Tests and they are now bottom of the World Test Championship table. But a policy of rest and rotation, a consequence in part of tight coronavirus restrictions, is no longer favoured by a new regime keen to concentrate on the game in front of them. Broad is eager to play his part, even