England's bowlers are 'licking their lips' over prospect of green pitch

ENGLAND have named an unchanged side for the Second Test in New Zealand, as they look to record a seventh successive victory.

- Cameron Ponsonby

The visitors had been considering a late change to their XI, after monitoring the fitness of seam bowlers Ollie Robinson, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, with only a five-day gap between the end of their 267-run win in Mount Maunganui and the start of the Wellington Test.

Of his decision to go with the same three pacers, skipper Ben Stokes said: "It's a fine line between picking the strongest XI but also making sure the bowlers are 100 per cent ready to go.

"I just texted them, because they're not in training today, saying 'are you good for the game?' and they said 'yeah'. It was pretty easy to name the team once they gave me the all-clear."

The Basin Reserve wicket is due to be very green, with Stokes saying the bowlers were "licking their lips" when they first saw the pitch.

"It looks like the lines of the wicket have been painted on the outfield," Stokes said. "But that's generally how the wickets do look here at the Basin. You can't read too much into it, because the ball can nip around, but it can also be incredibly flat.