Test clues from England, but Stokes the key

England switched from pink to red ball for their second two-day match in Hamilton and it was another bowling day for them. It was a more convincing all-round effort as they kept the New Zealand XI to 232 for their first 10 wickets. Ben Stokes was named in the 12-man squad but did not bowl or field, although is expected to bat on the second day. Here are a few talking points.

Stuart Broad was in good rhythm, as he was with the pink ball, which is an encouraging sign that the work he has been doing before this tour is paying off. Again he wasn't given the new ball, Chris Woakes the latest to be allowed a chance with it, but when he came on he was soon posing a threat. There were catches dropped off him on consecutive overs - Martin Guptill in the gully by James Vince and Greg Hay at third slip by Dawid Malan - before he extracted Hay's middle stump with a delivery which nipped back.

England's 12-man squad for these two days of red-ball cricket could have given a strong indication of the first Test line-up. If Stokes is able to bowl, and that still remains quite a big if, then Craig Overton would likely drop out of the 12 on duty. However, Stokes has not bowled in multi-day cricket since early September. At the very least his workload will likely have to be managed and Joe Root could, therefore, feel he needs another bowling option. That could leave Vince's place under pressure with Overton, who bowled nicely here, and Mark Wood then vying for the extra pace-bowling slot.

Last season, Guptill made the decision to move into Auckland's middle order in an attempt to revive his Test career, having not made opening a regular success. However, then injury struck and he did not have a chance to start his role. Earlier this season he played one match for Northern Districts at No. 3 before a recurrence of his hamstring problem put him on the sidelines. These few days against England are his first opportunity against the red (or pink) ball since then. He made 2 against the pink ball, falling lbw to James Anderson. This time, batting at No. 3, he offered the early chance off Broad but then played positively for 73 before edging Anderson behind. Does he have the drive for one more push at first-class cricket or could he consider focusing on the white-ball game?

New Zealand hope that Mark Chapman can be part of their next generation of batsmen. On the evidence of recent weeks, he has some work to do against spin bowling. In the one-day series he twice fell to spin, chopping Adil Rashid to point in Wellington and being bowled by Moeen Ali in Christchurch. Moeen removed him again, here, as Chapman pushed forward and the ball flew off the face of the bat to Mark Stoneman.