England’s huge winter started in underwhelming fashion with a fitful batting display as rain in Christchurch led to an abandonment in the first T20 against New Zealand .

While external attention is already trained on the Ashes , which starts next month, England must first negotiate a white-ball series across the Tasman Sea and the three T20s are building blocks for the World Cup early next year.

The tourists came into the series opener with a deep batting line-up but, while five of their top seven reached double figures, only Sam Curran passed 30 and his unbeaten 49 not out off 35 balls bailed them out from 81 for five.

They were denied the chance to defend 153 for six, which seemed competitive given the tricky Hagley Oval pitch, when the heavens opened during the interval and p

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