Stokes clears the air with England on return to the city of his birth

Christchurch is having a positive effect on tourists' captain and hopefully will do the same for his Test side

- Ali Martin

Come rain or shine, New Zealand cricketers tend to wear a smile on their faces. But this week there is a palpable glow around the place, that remarkable clean sweep in India, coupled with victory for the women's team in the T20 World Cup, still fresh in the memory. Hagley Oval is sold out for the first Test against England, folks drawn to its inviting grass banks.

English cricket has felt a little less cheery by contrast, be it their women's team flunking that latest shot at a global title, the continuing culture war as the sale of the Hundred teams gathers pace, or the men's Test side having lost in Pakistan to reopen the debate about the merits of so-called Bazball.

Ben Stokes seemed to embody the mood in Pakistan, his return from a hamstring injury resulting in what he calls one of his toughest trips. A burglary back at home added to the stress levels and nearly forced an early flight back, only for his wife, Clare, to persuade him otherwise.

But before the first Test that gets under way at 10pm tonight UK time, Stokes appeared refreshed and re-energised. A break at home between tours to see family followed by an early flight to see more relatives in Christchurch, the city of his birth, provided a period of introspection. The conclusion? He had been a bit selfish in Pakistan, tunnel vision about his rehabilitation and, for the first time in his almost three years as Test captain, visibly frustrated on the field. It is something he admitted to his players when they regrouped last week.