Broad and Anderson are set fair for Test after cyclone passes through

Duckett revels in the freedom given by Stokes and McCullum

- Cameron Ponsonby

BEN STOKES has announced his team for the First Test against New Zealand, with Stuart Broad returning to the XI after missing the series against Pakistan for the birth of his child.

England's team for the match that starts on Thursday is as expected, with only two changes to the XI that took the field in Karachi in December with James Anderson and Broad replacing Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed, neither of whom are with the squad for this tour.

Anderson and Broad will complete England's bowling quartet alongside fellow seamer Ollie Robinson and leftarm spinner Jack Leach.

Stokes said: "The way in which we've gone about our selections, especially in England and here similarish conditions - the team we pick, especially with the ball, has all the bases covered."

The only slight concern for England is the fitness of Stokes himself, who despite insisting he will be fit to bowl, has taken two days off in the lead-up to matchday in order to nurse a long-standing knee complaint.