It's time for England to wear the trousers

Now a row over advertising logos could see Vaughan and Co wearing patched-up pants tomorrow.

In the past, players have worn their own trousers, enabling their individual kit suppliers to put a small company logo on the left thigh. But the ECB's all inclusive contract allows adidas to supply every item of clothing - and logo.

Other kit manufacturers have offered to send trousers in the same style and colour for their men to use. Vaughan's side may yet walk out tomorrow wearing official 'flannels' but with tape covering the adidas logo.

While the row could cast a shadow over the build-up to the Lord's fixture, it is the colour and quality of England's Test cricket that needs to dazzle everyone this summer.

Having lost a series in Sri Lanka before Christmas, they looked set for more doom and gloom in New Zealand during March until hauling themselves out of the red with two hard-earned victories.

But now, facing a Kiwi side weakened by the retirement of best batsman Stephen Fleming, the onus is on England to start this season the way they began 2004 - by whitewashing the Black Caps 3-0.

Only then can Vaughan think about trying to see off South Africa in the second npower series of the summer.

"We have been through a bit of a journey this last year and we've had our ups and down," said coach Peter Moores. "But we've won our last two Tests, in New Zealand and we want to play the sort of aggressive, vibrant cricket that we can play."

That is exactly what England were doing in 2004 when they won 11 out of 12 Tests against West Indies, New Zealand and South Africa - and that led to a glorious defeat of Australia in 2005.

Just at the moment, though, there are doubts about the ability of the batting department.

Every member of England's top six tomorrow averages above 40, which is terrific. But their shortage of firstinnings centuries - one in nine Tests, supplied by Kevin Pietersen - has to be rectified. And now the man under the microscope is the captain himself. He did not make a hundred in the winter and, by the end of the New Zealand trip, looked well out of sorts. Lord's would be a great place to rediscover his touch after returning to the No3 position.

"Michael desperately wants to get runs," said Andrew Strauss, who returns to the top of the order tomorrow. "The longer it is an ongoing issue probably the harder it is for him.

"But he'll definitely come through it. The really useful players are the ones who can absorb pressure and come up with the goods. Michael has proved he is capable of doing that."

THE TEAMS FOR LORD'S

England (from): Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan (capt), Kevin Pietersen, Ian bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose (wkt), Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, Jimmy Anderson, Matthew Hoggard.

New Zealand (from): Jamie How, Aaron Redmond, James Marshall, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (wkt), Daniel Flynn, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (capt), Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Chris Martin, Jeetan Patel, Michael Mason.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor (West Indies), Simon Taufel (Australia).
Match ref: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).