Alastair Cook, Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott have all come under scrutiny after recent slow starts to England innings.

With Yorkshire youngster Joe Root impressing at number five, there have been calls to bump the 22-year-old up the order.

But Stewart believes Cook, Compton and Trott are a reliable top three and urged England not to tinker with their opening order.

“The rate of England’s scoring has come under scrutiny with some critics suggesting that a top three of Nick Compton, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott is too one-paced and doesn’t put enough pressure on the opposition bowlers,” Stewart wrote in his column for BBC Sport.

“Although I can understand the debate, my view is that England have chosen a strong and reliable top three and should certainly stick with it for the start of the Ashes series.

“Cook and Trott have been outstanding for England and since Nick Compton has come into the side as former captain Andrew Strauss’s replacement, he has done enough in his short Test career to suggest to me that he has what it takes at this level but will also be fully aware that he needs a run of big scores to silence his doubters.”

England, who won the first Test against New Zealand by a 170 runs, face Australia in the opening match at Trent Bridge on 10 July.

Stuart Broad’s heroics – the bowler took seven wickets in 11 overs – helped steer the hosts to a 170-run victory over the Black Caps in the first Test at Lord’s.

Despite winning in style courtesy of an impressive day-four performance, Cook expects New Zealand to pose a threat in the final match of the two-Test series.

“If you look at it without the emotive side of last week’s game, it was nip and tuck for three days,” said Cook.

“We had to work very hard in those three days to get ourselves in a position to win the game.”

Cook added: “We piled through that door pretty hard in the end – but we know how hard and tough this New Zealand side are.”

Cook also urged his England side to forget about future challenges this summer – including the Ashes – ahead of the final Test in the New Zealand series.

“It’s very important as a team that you stay in the present. We know what’s coming up in the summer, but we have to focus on this game and these five days,” he said.

“That’s the way you have to operate, so that’s how we will operate.

“Winning is vitally important – we want to win every game and series we’re involved in. It sounds simple but it will take a lot of hard work.”

Graeme Swann – currently ranked number eight in the world – is ably backed by Monty Panesar, a consistent performer in the Test arena, while Kent’s James Tredwell, remains an ODI specialist, leaving England with options should they need back-up.

But Such, the ECB’s spin bowling coach, who played 11 Test matches through the 1990s, believes England must not rest on their laurels and should continue to search for talented twirlers.

“The health of spin bowling in the country is very good at the top level,” Such told ecb.co.uk.

“Graeme Swann is very high in the world rankings, Monty Panesar did an excellent job in the Tests in India and James Tredwell is exceptional in one-day cricket.

“So at that level we are pretty much well covered; what we need ideally is greater depth in the talent pool to get better young spinners into county cricket and hopefully pushing on to replace the Tredwells, Panesars and Swanns in the next five, eight years, whenever it is.”

Ideally, England will be looking to introduce a wrist spinner into the Test set-up to replace Swann, 34, and Panesar, 31, once the formidable pair have retired.

And, although, national selectors are not short of options with the likes of Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid and Scott Borthwick of Durham – both in good form this season – neither have shown the same levels of consistency that the aforementioned Swann and Panesar possess.

Anderson, 30, joined the illustrious ranks of Bob Willis, Fred Trueman and Botham to have taken 300 scalps in the longest-form of the game during England’s first Test victory over the Black Caps at Lord’s.

And the 57-year-old reckons the Lancashire star will easily eclipse his record tally of 383 Test dismissals.

“I’ve been impressed with Jimmy for years,” Botham said.

“I think he’s magnificent. He’s been the leader of the pack for a long time and will be for a long time to come. He gets better and better.

“I think he’ll get 484 [Test wickets]. I think he’ll go sailing past [my record of 383 wickets].

“If I can get Jimmy to have a glass of wine with me, we’ll open a very good bottle of wine and enjoy it when he goes past it, because I can’t think of a better person to take the mantle over.”

Botham was the linchpin of England’s team during the 1980s, coming to the fore with fast-bowler Willis in the 1981 Ashes, to complete one of the most remarkable turnarounds in sporting history.

And with this year’s Ashes around the corner, Botham believes England have developed another bowling partnership of note in Stuart Broad and Anderson.

“It’s a good combination. You’ve got the tall bowler who hits the back of a length, Stuart Broad, and you’ve got the swing bowling and the skills of Jimmy Anderson at the other end,” he added.

“That’s the combinations that work for years and years – [Dennis] Lillee and [Jeff] Thomson, myself and Bob Willis, Broad and Anderson. There’s no secret recipe. They’re just a good combination.”

England will take on New Zealand on Friday in the final Test of the current two-match series, which they lead 1-0, before they compete for the Ashes against old foes, Australia, in July.

“It’s a perfect build-up for England. New Zealand caused them problems in the winter, on the surfaces we played, which were very flat,” added Botham.

“England started a little slowly here [at Lord's] in this Test match, but got better and better and the way the bowlers came out on that final day, it was obvious they wanted a day off. They were magnificent.”

Injuries to BJ Watling and Bruce Martin have left New Zealand searching for replacements in two crucial positions – wicketkeeper and specialist spinner – with only a four-day interlude between the two matches.

Top-order batsman Martin Guptill, New Zealand’s player of the year in 2012, is being lined up to replace wicketkeeper Watling, who suffered a knee injury during England’s second innings last week.

Brendon McCullum, although he is reluctant due to long standing back injuries as a result of keeping wicket for his country in the past, should take the gloves.

The Test skipper stepped in to fill Watling’s shoes at Lord’s, following the injury but there are other alternatives – thanks to the limited-overs squad’s arrival this week ahead of the Natwest Series and the Champions Trophy.

One-day squad member Luke Ronchi or 21-year-old Tom Latham, who is in the Test squad, could potentially be selected for Friday’s final Test.

Referring to Guptill, McCullum said: “He comes into the reckoning. We’ve obviously got to assess BJ as well and see how he’s travelling for the next game and look at our options there.

“Whether that means Tom Latham comes in and bats at seven and takes the gloves, or I bat down at number seven and take the gloves and we’re afforded the luxury, I guess, of playing another batsman at six, there’s plenty of different options to look at.”

However, it seems unlikely that New Zealand will give a debut to either Latham or Ronchi, ahead of what is a series decider as neither of the uncapped-duo is renowned for their batting prowess.

McCullum and head coach Mike Hesson will be desperate to square the series in Leeds, having out-played England for the majority of the four Tests both here and in New Zealand in March.

The Black Caps said they will not call up anyone from outside the Test squad until they assess the conditions.

A New Zealand spokesperson said: “At this stage, we are not bringing anyone into the Test squad. But the ODI players are arriving over the next couple of days and Daniel Vettori will be here tomorrow.

“[Coach] Mike [Hesson] will have a look at the conditions in Headingley and has the option of bringing Daniel in if he thinks a spinner will be needed there.”

Veteran spinner Vettori, whose 112-Test career has seen him collect 360 wickets, will certainly enhance the team’s chances should he replace Martin.

Left-arm spinner Martin, 33, injured his calf and has flown back home and though the two twirlers share an eerily similar bowling action that is where the parallels end.

Former skipper Vettori will not only be able to tie up an end with the ball, allowing seam trio Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Tim Southee to probe away at the other, but the 34-year-old’s batting will beef up another department, too.

Should Vettori, who has scored six Test hundreds, be selected for his first Test match in nearly a year after long absence from the game due to injury and Guptill replace Watling, New Zealand – on paper, at least – will be far stronger with the pair’s added experience.

Both Vettori and Guptill have had to endure carrying their country in the past but should enjoy the prospect of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their country’s emerging talents, such as Boult, Wagner and batsman Kane Williamson.

New Zealand may be 1-0 down in the series but they will know they have a fighting chance of punching above their weight, once again.

Alastair Cook’s side drew first blood in the two-match series as they bowled the Black Caps out for just 68 on day four at Lord’s to clinch a 170-run first-Test win.

Despite the considerable margin of victory, the hosts didn’t have it all their own way as the Kiwis enjoyed the first three days before collapsing on Sunday, as Stuart Broad and James Anderson tore through their batting order.

And, England may consider making a change for the second match at Headingley, with Tim Bresnan being tipped to replace the ineffective Steven Finn. The Yorkshire bowler would strengthen the lower order considerably as well as giving the bowling attack another dimension on his home ground.

With Bell declared fit, the batting order will remain the same despite a poor performance at the Home of Cricket.

Opener Nick Compton will be feeling the pressure as his place comes under scrutiny while Jonny Bairstow will be hoping to show why his position in the middle-order is merited.

“It was pleasing to start the international summer with a win over New Zealand in the first Test and I thought the team showed a lot of fighting spirit when under pressure to set up the victory,” said national selector Geoff Miller.

“We are aware that there are still areas that we need to improve on and the players and coaches will be working hard ahead of the second Test to ensure we continue to get better as a side.

“New Zealand showed again that they are a dangerous side and we know we will need to produce another strong performance this week to secure a series victory.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand have called Daniel Vettori into their squad for the second Test after Bruce Martin was ruled out of the remainder of the tour with a calf injury.

England squad for second Test v New Zealand

Alastair Cook (Essex, captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Nick Compton (Somerset), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Matt Prior (Sussex, wk), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire).

The hosts ripped through the Black Caps’ batting line-up in an astonishing display on the fourth morning of the first Test at Lord’s, as the visitors were dismissed for just 68, chasing 239 to win.

Broad was keen, having taken all the plaudits – and winning the man-of-the-match award – to deflect the praise to Anderson, who became only the fourth England bowler to reach 300 Test wickets, after his seven-wicket haul in both innings.

“I’ve come away with seven wickets but Jimmy was the leader of this attack,” said Broad. “He got to 300 Test wickets and got five wickets in the first innings and he should be coming up to get this man-of-the-match award.”

For the most part, Anderson was the talk of the Test; the Kiwi’s first innings score was restricted to 207, having been on 100 for three, thanks to the “Burnley Express”.

The 30-year-old proved once again why he is one of the best fast-bowlers in the world, as he showed masterful control with the swinging ball to oust all four of New Zealand’s top-order.

England’s batsmen, however, failed to captalise – albeit in the favorable bowling conditions – and gave the visitors hope of going 1-0 up in the series, setting them a reasonable target of 239 to win.

But Broad had other ideas – and, in part, Anderson too – as England used only two bowlers throughout the whole innings for the first time since 1936 to steamroll through the fragile New Zealanders.

Broad, who took seven for 44 in 11 overs, was particularly rampant as he pitched the ball up making things extraordinarily hard for Brendon McCullum’s team.

“It’s about rhythm as a bowler,” added Broad. “I felt my stride pattern has been pretty good throughout the summer.

“I had confidence, knowing if I got the ball up there, there was enough in the wicket to help the bowlers out.

“I just hit my straps straightaway. It happens like that. Some days you get the nicks; some days you don’t.”

James Anderson also secured his 300th Test wicket to join fellow England greats such as Sir Ian Botham, Bob Willis and Fred Trueman.

Here is a selection of our favourite tweets from the professionals, both past and present and in chronological order, after the hosts secured a 170-run win against the Black Caps.

Former England wicket-keeper Alec Stewart ‏(@StewieCricket) is looking forward to a big day four: “May get a 250 lead minimum, hope for cloud cover to aid Anderson swing, pitch-spinning for Swann and England should win but as Ladbrokes say GAME ON!”

Legendary all-rounder Sir Ian Botham ‏(@BeefyBotham) urges supporters to arrive on time – it proved good advice: “Don’t be late today could be a great days play……start of a big summer!!”

Injured batsmen Kevin Pietersen ‏(@kevinpp24) is excited to cheer on his team-mates: “Nearly at Lord’s.. The drive to watch certainly isn’t the same as to play! But, hasn’t the last hour been great? #ENGvNZ”

Spinner Graeme Swann ‏(@Swannyg66) wants to get in on the action: “Can’t wait to have a bowl on this pitch…”

All-rounder Tim Bresnan (‏@timbresnan) hails Broad and Anderson: “Outstanding bowling @stuartbroad8 that’s getting the job done. Also @JimmyAnderson9 congrats on the big 300.”

Youngster Joe Root ‏(@joeroot05) is thrilled to be part of a memorable England triumph: “What a day! loved every minute of it! Massive congrats to Broady and Jimmy – fantastic effort from everyone else too #lovewinning!”

The man-of-the-moment Broad ‏(@StuartBroad8) praises his team-mate: “Love winning!! Guys were great especially this man @jimmyanderson9 #300”

Ashes-winning England captain Michael Vaughan ‏(@MichaelVaughan) taunts the Aussies: “Just watching the highlights and I have say I can’t believe NZ made 68… Ridiculously good bowling from @JimmyAnderson9 and @StuartBroad8. England might just play 2 bowlers against Australia… That’s all they need these days…..”

Phil Tufnell (‏@philtufnell) is loving the summer of cricket: “So NZ’s target wasn’t knockeroffable after all! Great bowling @StuartBroad8 and well played England. Cracking start to the Test summer.”

England bowler Steven Finn (‏@finnysteve) can’t remember such a devastating attacking display: “Amazing day’s cricket here at Lord’s. Some of the best bowling I’ve ever seen. Now settling in for the football with a few beers!”

Finally, Graham Onions ‏9@BunnyOnions) pays tributes to his team-mates: “Huge congrats to @JimmyAnderson9 on his 300+ wickets. From an early age he was destined to be one of England’s best bowlers.”

The opening pair of James Anderson and Stuart Broad bowled unchanged in the second innings at Lord’s as they skittled the Kiwis for 68 in just 22.3 overs, with the latter taking Test-best figures of 7-44.

Cook said: “That was as good as any bowling I’ve seen in an opening spell.

“Jimmy and Broad have played a lot of cricket together and we are lucky to have their experience and skill.”

Having been set 239 to win after England collapsed to 213 all out early on the fourth day, Broad claimed five wickets in his first five overs to shatter the tourists.

Broad claimed the spell was his best ever in Test cricket, but was eager to praise the contribution of Anderson, who became the fourth England bowler to claim 300 Test wickets in the first innings.

“It’s about rhythm as a bowler,” he said. “I felt my stride pattern has been pretty good throughout the summer.

“I had confidence, knowing if I got the ball up there, there was enough in the wicket to help the bowlers out.

“I just hit my straps straightaway. It happens like that. Some days you get the nicks; some days you don’t.

“As a partnership today, the pressure Jimmy and I built, we didn’t really give them anything.

“I’ve come away with seven wickets but Jimmy was the leader of this attack. He got to 300 Test wickets and got five wickets in the first innings and he should be coming up to get this man-of-the-match award.”

Despite cantering to victory with a day-and-a-half to spare, captain Cook admitted that England’s batting remains a concern after they collapsed in both innings.

“We wanted more runs, but cricket’s a strange game and sometimes results like that happen,” he said.

“We can improve in all areas of our game, but a 170-run win is a big win.

“At 159-2 [on day three] with a lead of nearly 190, we were thinking ‘bat them out of the game’, but Tim Southee [6-50 in the second innings and 10-108 in the match] bowled outstandingly well for New Zealand.”

A devastating spell of bowling from Stuart Broad tore through the New Zealand batting line-up on day four and snuffed out any hopes the tourists had of going 1-0 up in the two-Test series. Broad had looked wayward in the first innings as he struggled to find the right length with which to attack the Kiwi batsmen, but he emerged as England’s most potent threat at the start of the second innings. Ably supported by Jimmy Anderson, who took a back seat having led the attack on days two and three, Broad showed why he has been preferred to Steven Finn as an opening bowler. When Anderson and Broad are in this form, having Finn as a first change and the likes of Tim Bresnan, Chris Tremlett and Graham Onions waiting in the wings looks like an embarrassment of riches. What is certain is that most will be called upon at some point during a punishing Ashes schedule which dominates the next nine months.

Batting line-up not set in stone

Nick Compton looked to have cemented his place at the top of the order with back-to-back hundreds on the recent tour of New Zealand but two failures in this Test – including a rash shot in the first innings – have raised doubts over whether he is the man to partner Alastair Cook in the forthcoming Ashes series. As Kevin Pietersen continues his rehabilitation, it will also be a concern that Jonny Bairstow is yet to take advantage of the opportunities he has been given, although we have seen glimpses of his ability such as his 95 against South Africa last year. Joe Root, who has been in sparkling form since the start of the county season, provided what was undoubtedly the highlight of England’s batting with scores of 40 and 71. He has taken to Test cricket like a duck to water, but England will not want to put too much pressure on him yet and he should be kept down the order. His partnership with Jonathan Trott in the second innings was crucial in the context of a low-scoring match; doing the same in an Ashes Test normally represents a far greater challenge, but the maturity he has shown in his career to date bodes well for the future.

New Zealand have raw materials

A 170-run margin of defeat inside four days does not reflect well on New Zealand, but in reality this was a gripping and close-fought Test match that only became one sided once Broad hit his stride during the visitors’ run chase. In the first innings, it was Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson who bettered anything their English counterparts could muster, but the second innings collapse showed that there is still a lot of work to be done if a group of talented players is going to produce results. In the reverse series earlier this year, New Zealand were unable to force victory having on more than one occasion put themselves in a strong position. In both instances, in Dunedin and Auckland respectively, it was their bowlers who were unable to take the wickets required. This time it was the batsmen who failed to deliver, but captain Brendon McCullum and the coaching staff should not lose sight of the fact that several times in this match, their team fought back and ensured that they had a chance, albeit a wasted one, to win the Test.

Second Test important for hosts

Only one Test remains in this painfully short series (if it can even be called that), and as a result England will be looking to put in a far more consistent performance at Headingley. For the players involved in the Champions Trophy, the opportunities to impress in four and five-day cricket before the Ashes squad is announced will be few and far between, and the batsmen in particular will need to make each innings count in the second Test. For the bowlers, their most pressing concern will be avoiding injury. Finn will be keen to pick up a few wickets and cement his place in a three man pace attack, while Graeme Swann only bowled eight overs in the match. This may prove to be a blessing in disguise, as he has only just returned from elbow surgery. Along with Anderson and Broad they are likely to form the bowling attack for the first Test against Australia, one piece of the jigsaw that seems to be falling nicely into place.