CWC: New Zealand gear up for opener against England in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: The New Zealand cricket team are gearing up for the opening match of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup as they held a practice session at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday in Ahmedabad.

Kiwis will take on the defending champions England on Thursday in Ahmedabad.

New Zealand's regular skipper Kane Williamson will miss the opening match as he is yet to recover fully from injury, stand-in captain Tom Latham will lead the side.

However, Latham expressed happiness that regular skipper Kane Williamson would be fit for the nexy few matches. He also praised Williamson's batting in the nets, saying that he performed like he never left and is moving really well, playing all the shots he used to play.

In the first warm-up matches against Pakistan and South Africa, Williamson only played as a batter against Pakistan and batted and fielded against Proteas. Williamson has not recovered fully from his injury and used warm-up games to test his fitness.

"It is obviously great to see Kane back, to see him batting. It is like he had never left to be honest, in terms of with the bat. It is great to see him moving really well. He is playing all the shots that he used to play, which is great, and to see him back in the field is another stepping stone in terms of where he needs to get to in terms of his recovery. It is a day-by-day process with him making sure that whenever he is available that he has ticked everything off all that he needs to do," said Latham as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

Latham also said that pace spearhead Tim Southee is recovering from his injured thumb well.

"He is tracking along really well. He is nearly two weeks post-surgery. So for him, it is a day-by-day process as well in terms of making sure that he is in the right frame in terms of bowling and fielding. I am sure once he gets back into his skill, he will be willing to go if that opportunity comes," said the skipper.