DANIEL Vettori and his team-mates are hoping a combination of fresh blood and better weather will boost New Zealand's preparations ahead of the first npower Test against England at Lord's on May 15.

Captain Vettori is one of five Kiwis to arrive in England this week, more than a week after their team-mates began the six--week tour.

Vettori, vice-captain and wicketkeeper Brendon McCull-um, Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills have all been involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) while their countrymen have endured a fortnight of frustration.

Rain has ruined the Black Caps opening two warm-up matches against the MCC and Kent, and Vettori and company will be praying for sunny skies when their penultimate friendly gets under way at the Ford County Ground this morning.

For young batting star Taylor, the Essex fixture is the perfect springboard for a memorable summer in his new role as a Test opener.

"You talk to any cricketer, he would love to play a Test match at Lord's and to get their name on the honours board," said the 24-year-old, who played for Bangalore in the IPL.

"The top-order batting has been our Achilles heel - in the last decade we have gone through lots of openers.

"Hopefully the arrangement of Jamie How and me will do the job.

"If we can see off the new ball, we will have given us a good chance of making a big total, which will the crucial."

While the top order has struggled in recent years, New Zealand's lower middle-order is the team's strength, with Oram, McCullum and Vettori all impressing with the bat.

And Taylor expects that trend to continue in England.

"We have got Oram, Brendon and Dan coming in," he observed.

"Hopefully the top order can score runs and support them."

All five IPL players are expected to take to the field at Chelmsford this morning.

New Zealanders: (from) Vettori (capt), Flynn, Fulton, Hopkins, How, McCullum (wkt), Marshall, Martin, Mills, O'Brien, Oram, Patel, Redmond, Southee, Taylor, Gillespie, Mason.