New Zealand deserve longer series in England - Mike Hesson
Wednesday 6 May 2015 17:42, UK
Recent New Zealand form warrants more Tests in England, says head coach Mike Hesson ahead of this summer's series.
The tourists are still riding high on their 50-over success earlier this year when they made a superb run to the World Cup final via an eight-wicket thrashing of England in Wellington.
Despite their rising status, New Zealand have only two matches to prove their worth in the Test arena against England later this month before Alastair Cook's side switch their attention to a five-match feast against Australia.
"Some of it has been because of performance, we've been down the pecking order in terms of our ranking," Hesson said.
"Often England have two tours and we normally get the early one and tend to be a bit of an entree to the Ashes.
"It seems to be the way we've been used in the past, that's just the way it's been. You have to earn the right for those longer series, you do that over a period of time and that's something we're looking to do.
"We don't do the scheduling but we're starting to earn the right now to play longer series than two Tests. It's something we would like to happen and our administrators are trying to make that happen. If we keep doing our job on the field, hopefully the rest of it takes care of itself."
New Zealand have only won eight Test matches and four away from home against England but with Cook's side still struggling for cohesion on and off the field, there is a sense the time might be right for the Kiwis.
"It would be another step forward for us as a group," Hesson added. "We've won four Test matches here in our history, so to win a series here would be huge. There's definitely expectation and that's something we probably haven't had a lot of.
"We found that in the World Cup in that when we won a game but didn't win it well we got criticism when in the past we were happy with just winning.
"We've got more of a following at home and there's an expectation that we will perform well over here."
Cook represented one of the few positives to come out of England's 1-1 draw in the West Indies as he hit one century and two fifties in his last four innings in the Caribbean.
The England captain scored 130 in the sides' last Test meeting at Headingley in 2013 and Hesson admits halting the opener's momentum will be key.
"New ball bowling is important for us, the way Trent Boult and Tim Southee start sets the tone for the Test match," Hesson said.
"We've been able to have success against Alastair home and away, bar the Test at Leeds. I know Trent asks him some pretty tough questions with the angle and swing he creates so hopefully we can get it swinging over here and challenge him early on.
"If he gets in he's a tough man to get rid of, so the first 10 to 15 balls are pretty important."
Watch England v New Zealand, first Test on May 21, live on Sky Sports
