While the hosts have paid little attention to the arrival of New Zealand in the country, veteran batsman Nathan Astle is confident the Kiwis will leave a lasting impression.

Nathan Astle: Itching for a Test spot

Whilst the tourists can hardly claim to have many individual superstars in their line-up, the men from the land of the silver cloud have impressed as a unit, something Astle feels is one of their main strengths.

"We're never going to be a glamour side, but I don't think we get the recognition we deserve," lamented Astle, who has 3,592 Test runs at an average of 39 to his credit.

"If we keep on winning consistently, then they're going to have to take notice."

So what does he feel is the biggest factor that has contributed to this rise?

"There's definitely a better belief in the side," he said. "That's what I've noticed the most since I've come back and John Bracewell, from what I've had to do with him, seems to have played a big part in that.

"Everyone rates the ability of the players around them, which means the guys can go out and play a little bit freer than they might have done in the past. This is definitely the best New Zealand side I've been in and I think, out of the 14 guys, there will be three who will be disappointed not to make the test side because we are all good enough."

With so many players suddenly coming through and doing well, it all makes staking a claim in the starting line-up just that much more difficult, even for a veteran of 59 Tests.

"The squad is so competitive that I'm not guaranteed a start, so I just want to get back in the side," he told the New Zealand paper Sunday Star Times.

Astle finds himself in direct competition with Craig McMillan for a spot in the middle order. He will be secretly hoping that under-fire opener Michael Papps fails to crack the nod, leaving skipper Stephen Fleming to open alongside Mark Richardson and, hopefully, place for himself.

In the meantime, England would certainly do well to take notice of the Kiwis given they were on the receiving end during New Zealand's last trip to these shores. New Zealand, accustomed to the role of underdog, left England on the wrong end of a 2-1 series verdict.

Nevertheless, Astle feels that this tour could be another dog fight with New Zealand just two points behind England on the ICC rankings

"It's going to be a hard-fought series," Astle said. "It could come down to a session here and there that swings it."

The Test veteran, who has battled career-threatening knee injuries, did not want to label favourites, but indicated that the England side had been well researched.

"Their [England] batting might be a bit light. They have a pretty long tail, while we bat a long way down. But they were bowling the West Indies out pretty easily over there so you'd have to say their strength is their bowling."

The first Test starts at Lord's on Thursday, May 20.