New Zealand bowl first against England in final test

CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to bowl in the deciding second and final Test between New Zealand and England in Christchurch on Friday.

"It's a good surface and won't change a huge amount and it does offer a bit first up," Williamson said.

"It would be nice if we can take a few early."

Bowling first puts pressure on England to avoid the debacle of the first innings in the first Test in Auckland when they were all out for 58 in 94 minutes.

"We've got to make sure we play this first session very well and make sure what happened last week doesn't happen again," England captain Joe Root said.

"It's imperative we get ourselves off to a good start with the bat." 

A win to New Zealand will give them only their second home series win against England, while England need victory to snap a 12-match away streak without a win. 

New Zealand have made one injury-enforced change from the side that won in Auckland with Ish Sochi replacing Todd Astle.

England have made three changes with James Vince, Mark Wood and Jack Leach coming in for Chris Woakes, Craig Overton and Moeen Ali.

New Zealand: Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.

England: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA), Bruce Oxenford (AUS)

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)

Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)