Thursday 21 May 2015 12:13, UK
Sir Ian Botham believes New Zealand could prove a real thorn in England's side ahead of their Ashes summer.
England face the Black Caps in the first of a two-match Test Series, starting at Lord's on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD.
Alastair Cook's side will be desperate to make a winning start after their drawn series in the West Indies, the sacking of coach Peter Moores and the recent furore surrounding Kevin Pietersen.
Botham admits it's a 'perfect build up' ahead of Australia but insists England must be at their best or they could face a further setback against a side currently third in the Test rankings.
The Sky Sports cricket commentator said: "New Zealand are a very good side, they are a confident side, very well led by Brendon McCullum. They have a terrific seam attack in Trent Boult and Tim Southee who will enjoy the English conditions so England will have to play very well.
"It's the perfect build up for them ahead of the Ashes. If they can perform well in this series it will stand them in good stead for what's coming up later in the summer.
"If they get in a similar mess here to the one they got themselves into in the Caribbean they will struggle, and believe me if they give New Zealand half a chance they will go for the jugular with McCullum as captain."
England won 2-0 when the sides last met in England in 2013 but Botham thinks this will be a much closer contest this time around but thinks England can edge it.
The former England captain also doesn't expect England to hand Durham fast bowler Mark Wood his debut and thinks Chris Jordan and all-rounder Ben Stokes should get the nod to play at Lord’s to support new ball bowlers Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.
Botham added: "England have got to stick with the guys who did the hard work in the winter, let's give them a go in our own conditions and then see what they can do and then judge them at the end of this series.
"It's a great chance for Jordan and Stokes to cement their places in the side. They were the two quickest bowlers England had on the winter tour now they'll have a pitch that will give them a little more help but it is a really important Test series for those two in-particular."
The series also gives caretaker coach Paul Farbrace a chance to stake his claim as a permanent replacement for Moores with Jason Gillespie the bookies' favourite to get the post.
Farbrace is currently second in the betting for the job at 7/2 alongside Tom Moody but Botham insists the former Sri Lanka coach has nothing to prove.
He added: "Farb is very well respected in the game. Everyone knows his credentials, he doesn't have to prove himself. Whoever gets the job we won't know until before the Ashes anyway."
Watch the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s, live from 10am on Thursday on Sky Sports 2 (channel 403).
