England vs New Zealand Cricket World Cup 2019: Hosts safely into semi-finals

Kane Williamson suggests he would have looked to bat too.

Two changes - Henry and Southee do come in; Ferguson (hamstring) and Sodhi (selection decision) miss out.

"I think the pitch and overheads," [are the decisive factor}, says Eoin Morgan. "The pitches have got tougher, slower, lower as the match goes on, and it's a trend that the pitches haven't been as good as the last few years. It's a bit like a quarter-final, we train hard, play hard, today is what it's all about."

So in to the New Zealand side comes Tim Southee, destroyer-in-chief of England four years ago, for a first appearance of this World Cup.

He'll test England with the new ball alongside great partner Trent Boult, who might just relish bowling against an England batting lineup that has showed considerable vulnerability to left-arm swing, most notably against Australia. 

But Eoin Morgan will be pleased that Lockie Ferguson is absent, with the moustachioed menace of the paceman not quite replicated by the rest of the Blackcaps' attack. You can be sure that the England captain will still be attacked with the short ball, but the pace won't be quite so troublesome.

Indeed, New Zealand may be relatively secure in the top four but they have not played superb cricket so far in the tournament, heavily reliant on Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, as well as the bits-and-pieces contributions of all-rounders Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme. You can get at them, certainly.

The pitch looks a good'un, it must be said, the sort of deck on which this England side has thrived since the 2015 World Cup nadir, and they seem to have settled on a bat-first, runs on the board tactic, backing a bowling attack that is tough to score freely from in a safe manner.

While the Riverside Ground tends to lend itself to a bit of wibbly-wobbly dibble dobble in red-ball cricket, the extra pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood (at his home ground) should be an asset later on. 

It shan't be too long until Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow head out to the middle to begin England's innings. Might Kane Williamson consider an early spell from Mitch Santner? The left-armer doesn't tend to turn the ball too much but is a canny operator who bowls tight lines and lengths, challenging the pads of right-handed batsmen with skid and drift. Roy and Bairstow can be got at with spin early on.

It would be a risk, given how the pair took apart Chahal and Kuldeep in their last encounter, but if they get away quickly against Boult and co., don't be surprised if Williamson tosses the ball Santner's way.

Anthem time at Chester-le-Street. Smatterings of black shirts around the Riverside Ground, all in fine voice for the dual-language 'Aotearoa/God Defend New Zealand.' One of my favourite national anthems, incidentally.

Through a half-hearted rendition of 'God Save the Queen' the England players mumble, and it's time for cricket.

Roy and Bairstow touch gloves and shadow bat their way out, Bairstow slightly more enthusiastic in practicing a great lollop down the pitch and punch down the ground. Roy with a more conservative forward press and push back to the imaginary bowler.

A-ha - Mitch Santner will take the new ball.

A slip in for Santner's first ball to Roy...

0.1 - England 4-0, Jason Roy 0, Jonny Bairstow 0, Mitchell Santner 0-0 (0.1)

My oh my nearly the perfect start for Santner!

A vicious inswinging arm-ball, through the attempted cut of Roy anticipating some turn and whiskers away from the leg-stump on its way through for four byes. Crikey!