Sidebottom will seriously test us - Hadlee

Richard Hadlee, the legendary New Zealand allrounder and current chairman of selectors, believes England's Ryan Sidebottom is the biggest threat to the touring side ahead of the Test and ODI series. Sidebottom was New Zealand's nemesis in the preceding series, taking 24 wickets at 17.08 in three Tests, and Hadlee warned of his nagging accuracy giving them hell again.

"Sidebottom bowled beautifully in New Zealand, he proved to be a major challenge for us and we will have to combat him if we are to stand any chance of even being competitive in the series," Hadlee told the Guardian. "Ryan also has nagging accuracy, he showed in New Zealand his ability to get the ball there and thereabouts most of the time, and again that is something which will test our side. They are going to be coming up against a very skillful bowler."

Hadlee, the first man to take 400 Test wickets, knows a thing or two about swing bowling and he especially likes Sidebottom's variety. "Sidebottom can swing it both ways, bowls a heavy ball, and can bowl left-arm around the wicket, which is an unusual skill for a left-hander to possess," he said. "It is certainly something our bowlers are not used to coming up against and will require them to be alert to the movement of the ball at all times."

Sidebottom was a late developer, taking his first Test wicket six years after he made his Test debut in 2001. Since then he has surged past 50 victims in his first full year of international cricket and his success in New Zealand was paramount to England's first overseas series win in three years. He took a hat-trick in Hamilton, which turned into a maiden ten-wicket haul, grabbed five to wrap up the Wellington Test, before a memorable seven in Napier sealed the series.

Daniel Vettori, New Zealand's captain, was also cautious. "Anyone who takes 24 wickets and bowls as fast as he [Sidebottom] does, swings the ball and bowls the length of spells - that was fantastic," he said. "He is England's best bowler and every time he's stepped up they seem to win games. Our big challenge is countering him. If we do that it gives us a chance of actually winning the series."

Speaking to the Times, Sidebottom himself was just focused on the summer ahead. "There are adjustments I can make," he said. "India last year was an eye-opener, the way they swung it away from around the wicket. That is something to practise. I can get the ball to swing in pretty regularly now, so if I can get the odd one to go away and across, that will make it harder for the batsmen. They have seen the way I bowl, they know me now, so I have to counteract that. I think that this year will be tough for me. People have said some nice things, but I still feel I have a bit to prove."