Cricket: Lumb wary of home threat

7Feb 2013

England opener Michael Lumb, whose side are 4/6 with bet365 to win the series, expects a tough Twenty20 campaign against New Zealand.

Having won one and lost one of their two T20 warm-up games, England head into a three-match series against the Black Caps expecting some close encounters. Left-hander Lumb warned: "A lot of people have written them off, but you can't take them lightly. "It would be foolish to do that - they've just beaten South Africa in a one-day series over there. They're a proud nation and they'll come really hard at us." The hosts will be boosted by the return of former captain Ross Taylor after his short sabbatical from international cricket, but they will be without both Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee due to injury. England should be led by Stuart Broad, who proved his fitness after recent heel problems by taking three wickets in each of the two warm-up games.