Black Caps gear up for England challenge

New Zealand excited and captivated a nation with their performances through the 2014-15 summer and the World Cup.

Now, the Black Caps have landed in England, determined to turn around a disappointing 2013 tour which saw them record two heavy losses.

It was a low-key New Zealand Test squad which arrived in London earlier this week, with star players Brendon McCullum, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson still on Indian Premier League duties and due to arrive in England by May 19.

The Black Caps remain insistent on their underdog status – as shown by Ross Taylor earlier this week, when the batsman insisted England in their home conditions "would be very tough".

"We haven't had a lot of success here recently," Taylor said.

Quick Single: Black Caps out to target Cook

However their 2-0 Test series win against Pakistan in the UAE and 2-0 series win at home over Sri Lanka, combined with a World Cup final appearance, suggest a well-prepared and in-form Black Caps team has arrived on England soil.

Their first hit-out will be against county team Somerset starting today, while they will also meet Worcester in a warm-up ahead of the first Test against England at Lord's on May 21.

Here's a look at what the Black Caps have been up to since the end of the 2014-15 season and World Cup:

Brendon McCullum: Despite being a bit hit and miss this IPL season, the Black Caps skipper has scored more sixes than anyone else to date, is the only player to have scored a century and also has one half-century under his belt. His 315 IPL runs have come at an average of 35 and McCullum will be eager to continue his Test form of 2014, which included scores of 302, 224, 202 and 195.

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McCullum hits out for Chennai in the IPL // BCCI 

Corey Anderson: The allrounder had a promising start to his IPL campaign for Mumbai Indians, scoring 115 runs at an average of 38 from four matches, before a finger injury saw him return to New Zealand. He returned to India earlier this week hoping to continue his IPL season after having the injury assessed.

Trent Boult: The fast bowler has moved in and out of the Sunrisers Hyderabad XI thanks to a rotation policy and stiff competition for international spots in a team also featuring Dale Steyn, David Warner, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara and Kane Williamson but the quick has six scalps from six matches at an average of 23.87.

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Boult has been learning from Steyn during the IPL // BCCI

Doug Bracewell: Since playing in the home Test series against Sri Lanka during the 2014-15 summer, allrounder Bracewell has been impressing domestic club Central Districts.

Mark Craig: Off-spinner Craig's focus has been on domestic duties since New Zealand wrapped up the Test series against Sri Lanka in January. His best performance for Otago came against Wellington in February where he took 3-85.

Martin Guptill: Guptill, who last played a Test in May 2013, is in red-hot form after finishing as the leading run-scorer at the World Cup. He continued his form with the red ball upon arriving in England to play with county team Derbyshire, scoring 161, 32, 0, 227 and 31 not out in his appearances to date. Guptill was ruled out of New Zealand's first tour match with a side strain but is expected to be fit for the first Test.

Quick Single: Injury rules Guptill out of tour opener

Matt Henry: Called into New Zealand's World Cup squad towards the end of the tournament after Adam Milne suffered a heel injury, fast bowler Henry has yet to make his Test debut for the Black Caps. He earned his Test call-up off the back of excellent form for Canterbury in domestic cricket where he took 19 wickets in five matches in February and March. Henry is a member of the Chennai Super Kings IPL squad but his services have not been called upon so far.

Tom Latham: Opening batsman Latham wasn't included in the Black Caps' World Cup squad, last wearing the black and white during New Zealand's one-day matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in January. The 23-year-old scored two centuries in the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan in November but has since endured a lean trot in both Tests and ODIs with scores of 6, 25, 5, 42, 6, 23 and 9 for 2015.

Luke Ronchi: Yet to make his Test debut, Ronchi attracted plenty of attention in January when he scored 170 not out off 99 balls against Sri Lanka in an ODI. He failed to replicate the form during the World Cup however, with scores of 29 not out, 12, 6, 9, 9 and 8 for the tournament.

Hamish Rutherford: Since being recalled to the New Zealand Test team for the December series against Sri Lanka, right-hand opener Rutherford has been playing with domestic team Otago, enduring a lean period in January before bouncing back with scores of 54 and 87 in late March.

Tim Southee: Working in tandem with Boult, fast bowler Southee terrorised batsmen throughout the World Cup. However his output has been quieter since travelling to India to join Rajasthan Royals, where he has taken six wickets in his seven IPL appearances so far at an average of 41.16 and economy rate of 8.82.

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Star quick Southee sends one down for Rajasthan // BCCI

Ross Taylor: Taylor had a slow start to the World Cup but improved towards the end of the tournament, with a half-century against Bangladesh the highlight. Taylor scored a century against Pakistan in Dubai last November but had a quieter home Test series against Sri Lanka, with scores of 7, 39 not out, 35 and 0.

Neil Wagner: Left-arm seamer Wagner was left out of the XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka in January, but was included in the squad for the England tour after excellent domestic performances for Otago, including hauls of 5-73, 5-92, 4-90, 4-83 and 4-60.

BJ Watling: Wicketkeeper Watling has been playing for domestic side Northern Districts since New Zealand's home series against Sri Lanka over the summer, where he scored 142 in the second Test. He has been named as the team's stand-in skipper for the first tour match against Somerset in the absence of McCullum.

Kane Williamson: Williamson, who was in a purple patch of form through the summer but had a lower output during the World Cup, is playing with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. However, he has found himself on the bench for seven of Hyderabad's nine games, scoring 26 not out and five in his appearances to date.