Boult keen to have a go at Cook

ALASTAIR COOK’S had a few headaches this past month. Trent Boult’s about to provide him with another.

New Zealand’s bowling strike weapon, and his mate Kane Williamson, are scheduled to step off a nine-hour flight from India early on Tuesday as the last of the Black Caps’ 15-strong test squad to land in London. Better late than never. Each sixth in the world test bowling and batting rankings, they are the two most significant arrivals for NZ’s ever- increasing confidence of winning their first test in England in 16 years, starting at Lord’s on Thursday.

Boult to Cook to open the two- test series has a lot going for it from a NZ viewpoint.

The left-arm swing king snared the England captain’s wicket four times in their five test match duels in 2013. Cook and fellow leftie Kumar Sangakkara are Boult’s equal-most dismissed in his haul of 110 wickets from 30 tests, at an average of 27.

England’s test 12 named on Friday would have brought a smile to Boult’s dial at his Indian Premier League base in Hyderabad, where he’s been a solid contributor for the Sunrisers at his $800,000 price tag. Five of England’s top-seven are left-handers: Cook, debutant Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes.

The Dukes ball hooped for Boult two years ago when he snared eight wickets at Lord’s and Leeds, and assuming the fast IPL turnaround isn’t a problem then the full outswinger to the lefties will have NZ in the box seat and the cordon poised.

By the time Cook and Brendon McCullum stride out for the toss, England’s skipper will have already faced a barrage. His pre-match press conference will be spicy as he fends off questions about the ‘‘him or me’’ ultimatum on Kevin Pietersen he reportedly gave the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The pressure was already building in the West Indies where England drew 1- 1. Cook’s side lost the third test in Barbados but his own form took an upswing with his 26th century, his first in 36 innings over two years since his ton against the Black Caps at Headingley in 2013.

Since that 2- 0 drubbing, first at the hands of Stuart Broad at Lord’s then the now-retired Graeme Swann at Headingley, the Black Caps are unbeaten in six test series and sit third on the world rankings after moving past England this month.

In that time Williamson hasn’t looked back from a lean England series where he scored 82 runs in four knocks. In his next 14 tests the NZ No 3 plundered six centuries and averaged 74.95, capped by an unbeaten 242 against Sri Lanka in their most recent test in Wellington in January.

Big totals will be the bedrock of a Black Caps test series victory and the core of Williamson, Ross Taylor and McCullum is pivotal after their slim pickings two years ago.

Coach Mike Hesson was unfazed by Williamson’s lean trot at the World Cup and his sideline stint in India since April 13. New Zealand hoped to have Williamson for the Worcester warm-up but the Sunrisers wouldn’t release him till after tomorrow’s final game due to Pietersen’s injury.

‘‘He’s a very professional young man so he’ll be doing plenty of work over there and will use the two or three days when he gets here to prepare well. I still expect him to put in a good performance come the first test,’’ Hesson said.

The IPL late arrivals are NZ’s biggest handicap but they would take their buildup over England’s; a poor finish to a Caribbean series they should have won, the sacking of coach Peter Moores, the Pietersen frenzy, and the mounting pressure on Cook.

Still, the hosts are formidable at home in May, and in eight tests against NZ in England since that 1999 series win have won seven and drawn one.

‘‘The reality now going into tours is you have a very short buildup and two warmup games is generally a lot more than we usually get, so we’ll be fine,’’ Hesson said.

‘‘We’ve been to the West Indies and we know the conditions. The ball doesn’t bounce through to the keeper and it swings for about three overs. It’s very, very different to what you face over here and obviously the England squad have a pretty good record here and we don’t have a great one.’’

McCullum and Tim Southee should arrive early tomorrow after the IPL. Allrounder Corey Anderson arrived from India on Friday and will be assessed after a broken finger cut short his IPL.