England vs New Zealand: Kane Williamson's struggles, Jack Leach returns

England’s new era started with a win over New Zealand at Lord’s last week, but it would be inaccurate to say they were convincing.

They required a fourth-innings classic from Joe Root to drag them to it, and plenty of questions remain for both sides ahead of the second Test at Trent Bridge on Friday. Here are a few of the talking points ahead of that game.

England have opted not to change a winning formula, and retained the same XI for the second Test – sort of.

Jack Leach started the game at Lord’s, but missed most of it because of concussion.

He has been passed fit to return to the line-up, meaning Matt Parkinson – who bolted from a barbecue to Lord’s to make his debut – slips back out of the side.

Trent Bridge is not generally regarded as favouring spinners, but Leach does have good memories of the ground.

He has only played there three times – and never in a Test – but the last time he did so, for county side Somerset, he took six for 36, which is among his best ever returns in first-class cricket.

England captain Ben Stokes, centre, and bowlers Stuart Broad, right, and Jimmy Anderson. left, take part in a nets session at Trent Bridge on June 8, 2022. PA via AP

Whether England’s revival is going to be sustained depends largely on their batting line up discovering more of a backbone.

The seam attack was in good working order in the opening Test. It hardly seemed as though James Anderson and Stuart Broad had been away, given how seamlessly they slipped back into the old routine.

If New Zealand’s batters found the task of facing them at Lord’s tough, they might find it even more exacting this week.

Trent Bridge is Broad’s home ground, and some of his greatest moments in an England shirt – a hat-trick against India,