Woakes and Curran fail to make a case for inclusion in Test series

● Seamers look laboured as rusty England are held by New Zealand XI in Whangarei

Neither Chris Woakes nor Sam Curran made a compelling case to retain their Test place as a rusty England laboured in the field on the second and final day of their warm-up against a New Zealand XI.

The seamers ended the Ashes in the side but, with Ben Stokes available to bowl again after being unable to do so at The Oval, it is thought Woakes and Curran are in a race for one spot in next week’s first Test against New Zealand.

However, the pair were upstaged in Whangarei by Finn Allen, who has only featured in eight first-class matches but registered a classy century to help the hosts to a draw as they recorded 285 for four in response to England’s 376 for five declared.

Dropped on nought after Stokes spilled a tough chance in the cordon, former New Zealand Under-19 batsman Allen clubbed 10 fours and two sixes in an unflustered 129-ball hundred before retiring out on 104.

Curran, originally left out of the 13-a-side match but brought in because of Saqib Mahmood’s migraine, did account for Jakob Bhula but was more expensive than Woakes, who was wicketless on a flat pitch.

Jofra Archer collected two wickets but went at four an over and Stuart Broad took one for 15 from nine overs, while the obduracy of Allen and Bhula (61) in a 117-run stand may prove a good workout ahead of stiffer challenges.

Woakes revealed there was not much movement on offer in Whangarei for England’s fast bowlers with a ball that softened quickly – and he is expecting that to be a running theme in the two-test series against the Kiwis.

He said: “It was a reasonable run out. The most important thing is realising what you’re going to come up against conditions-wise and also getting overs in the legs for the bowlers. It was a pretty flat pitch. A couple nipped with the new ball and after that it hasn’t really done much all day.

“You look at it at the start of a game and it was very, very green but if anything it just held it together and made it carry even better. I think that’s what we’re expecting: good surfaces, they’ll start green and just get better and better.

“I don’t generally see pitches out here that deteriorate too much. It will be hard work with the Kookaburra ball but we’ll just have to find a way.”

Woakes and Curran ended the Ashes in the England side but only because Stokes’ injury to his right shoulder meant he played as a batsman only in the series-levelling win over Australia at The Oval.

Now, Stokes’ availability as an all-rounder means England are set to choose between Woakes and Curran.

England’s initial selection of Woakes and not Curran could be seen as an indication of their preference but the World Cup winner insists he is not thinking like that.

Woakes said: “The make-up of the team is more than likely 2 England’s Chris Woakes bowls during the drawn tour match against a New Zealand XI at Cobham Oval in Whangarei. going to go back to the way it was. I suppose there’s one slot there. I wouldn’t think I’m a nose ahead. I think it’s a dangerous place to be as a player, especially when it could go either way.

“It’s a call that I’m not going to be able to make but I’ll be trying to make it as hard for them as possible by trying to put in performances.”

England will finalise their Test preparations with a three-day practice match at the same venue against a stronger New Zealand A side.