Root hits form ahead of NZ Test

Captain Joe Root emphasised his importance to England with a century stand to complete four days of practice cricket against a New Zealand XI in Hamilton.

The England skipper showed why he will be the most prized scalp for the Black Caps to claim in the day-night first Test starting in Auckland next week following a fluent 115.

It provided the backbone of the tourists' 353-9 in 90 overs at Seddon Park, with opener Mark Stoneman (48) and Dawid Malan (45) also contributing.

Their batting against the red ball was more convincing than when confronted with the pink ball two days earlier at the same venue, when the tourists lost fourteen wickets in a single extended innings. 

Both two-day games were drawn.

England also announced that specialist spinner Mason Crane will miss the two-Test series with a back injury.

The 21-year-old tweaker, who made his Test debut during England's recent Ashes campaign, has been replaced by uncapped Somerset spinner Jack Leach. 

The 26-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner impressed in the England Lions' recent tour of West Indies, taking record figures of 8-110 to surpass Grame Swann's mark of 8-156 against Zimbabwe in 1999.

The first day-night Test starts on 22 March.