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OPINION: Stuff's cricket scribes take a look at some of the hot topics ahead of the first test at Lord's which starts on Wednesday night.

Black Caps coach Gary Stead is satisfied with his team's efforts during the summer just gone. OPINION: The Black Caps’ home summer began with a group of players heading straight from managed isolation to the first Twenty20 international against the West Indies and ended with another group heading from the final T20 against Bangladesh straight to the Indian Premier League. In between they won four tests in a row against the West Indies and Pakistan to book their place in the inaugural World Test Championship final in June, they won four T20 series against those two, Australia, and Banglades...

Stuff football scribes Phillip Rollo and Andrew Voerman have taken a look at some burning questions. Ashley Feder/Getty Images The Wellington Phoenix celebrate Ulises Dávila’s opening goal against the Central Coast Mariners. The Wellington Phoenix got their first win of the season on Sunday against the Mariners and have four points from a possible 12 – is that a fair reflection of their efforts? Phillip Rollo: Can’t argue with it. They were robbed when Alex Rufer was wrongly sent off against Macarthur FC last month, but the two points they lost by drawing that one were gained when they...

Stuff’s cricket scribes looked at that and some of the other burning questions. 1. Mitchell Santner got the nod over Ajaz Patel. Is there any chance he plays in this series? Mark Geenty: There is a chance, and is more likely at Bay Oval where he had his best test against England at a ground that can suit spin later. The fact Santner was picked ahead of Patel marked him down as a genuine option in the selectors’ eyes at No 7. But, with this pitch sure to be prepared to suit the New Zealand pace attack, and Daryl Mitchell a better batsman and capable of bowling in a holding role (if a fift...