England in New Zealand: Andy Flower shows faith in Nick Compton

Monday 4 March 2013 09:33, UK

Nick Compton is set to retain his place in England's Test team for the series opener against New Zealand, which starts in Dunedin on Wednesday.

Broad fit

It will be a major surprise if England do anything other on Wednesday than select the same top six, in the same order. Flower and Cook also have an obvious course of action to confirm an attack led by James Anderson and Steven Finn, both rested for the tour match, and completed by Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann. Broad, dropped in India before he had to fly home with a heel injury which is still troubling him, got through more than 40 overs over the four days in Queenstown. Flower said: "I'm very pleased. His heel is obviously a worry to him and to us. But it reacted well to the number of overs he bowled and he came through it well. "He is fit and available for selection for the first Test."

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