New Zealand received a boost when captain Daniel Vettori declared he would lead the side in the first Test against England at Lord's, starting on Thursday, despite a recent injury to his spinning finger.

Vettori, 29, missed New Zealand's tour matches against Essex and England Lions because of the injury and while he would have liked more overs under his belt, he was confident his fitness would hold up for the duration of a five-day Test after bowling in the nets.

"I feel fitness wise I have no problems getting through a Test match," said Vettori, far and away the most experienced player in the current New Zealand side after playing in 80 Tests, here Wednesday.

"I'm not too concerned about it but I would have liked to have played in the last game," Vettori, who had to have stitches inserted into his finger, added.

"I have got through the last two trainings," Vettori said. "Obviously I would have loved that warm-up time in the games at Chelmsford and the Rose Bowl.

"That hasn't been the case but it is feeling okay, it is not perfect but it should be fine. Batting won't be an issue at all, it is just in the worst possible place for a left-arm finger spinner.

"It has healed really well, it still has a little way to go but it should be fine to bowl."

The match at Lord's is the first of a three-Test series. Back in March, England came from behind to beat then hosts New Zealand, again captained by Vettori, 2-1 in another three-Test series.

Now the Black Caps are expected to make at least two changes from the side that finished that campaign, with opener Aaron Redmond and middle-order batsman Daniel Flynn both set to make their Test debuts at Lord's.

"We're a relatively new side at the moment, beginning to find our own identity," Vettori said in response to England counterpart Michael Vaughan's comment that New Zealand were a "workmanlike" team.

"We've got some very experienced players but also some new guys, so I take that as a compliment.

"We have got a group of guys who try pretty hard and for us to succeed at this level we have to be at the top of our game all the time.

"If we work hard we give ourselves half a chance because we're not blessed with the stars of other sides. But that has been a trait of New Zealand cricket ever since it started.

"We know if we compete somewhere near our potential we can win the series over here."

New Zealand, thrashed 3-0 on their last tour of England in 2004, have so far drawn a rain-ruined match against Kent, beat Essex and played out a draw with the Lions, England's 'A' side.

"We've played pretty poorly the last two times I have been here, so to get batsmen performing is very pleasing," Vettori said.

"When you have form going into a Test match at a ground like Lord's it takes a little bit of the anxiety away.

"Whereas if we had that poor form then guys would probably start to worry about their performance and that Lord's atmosphere.

"They are quite determined characters and whilst they might be excited about playing in front of 20000, they will be more excited about scoring a hundred, or trying to do well on their debut."

One of the world's leading finger spinners, Vettori, who aged 18 became the youngest man to play for New Zealand, has taken 245 Test wickets at an average of 34.80.

AFP

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