LONDON, April 25: New Zealand coach John Bracewell has warned his team to expect a tough three-Test series against England.

“We’re definitely the underdogs,” Bracewell said before an indoor net session here at Lord’s. “This tour is going to be hard work given our lack of experience and the fact that we are in a rebuilding phase.”

A depleted New Zealand squad arrived in England on Thursday without five players who are taking part in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). Captain Daniel Vettori, deputy captain Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills are expected to join the squad by the start of May.

Opening batsman Jamie How will captain New Zealand in the first two warm-up games of the tour. The first Test starts on May 15 at Lord’s.

New Zealand lost 2-1 at home against England in a Test series that ended March, and was further weakened by the retirement of Stephen Fleming –their top run-scorer with 7,172 runs from 111 Tests.—AP