Cricket returns to Lord's on Thursday only days after the ground was enveloped in snow to open a season that will show if England [Images] can mount a credible challenge to Australia next year.

With rain predicted for the rest of the week, the four-day match between MCC and county champions Sussex may be largely spent dodging April showers. No member of the England team that defeated New Zealand [Images] 2-1 in March is playing.

The Kiwis return this month for a three-Test series starting at Lord's on May 15, followed by the altogether sterner challenge of a South Africa side who have just completed a crushing innings victory over India.

New Zealand are a well-drilled side, who generally punch above their weight, as their victory in the first Test against England this year demonstrated.

Their bowling, headed by captain Daniel Vettori [Images] who is the best orthodox spinner in the world, will be competent and there is much interest in 19-year-old all-rounder Tim Southee.

The teenager took five wickets on debut in England's first innings in the third Test then smashed an unbeaten 77 from 40 balls with nine sixes in New Zealand's second.

The batting, though, is desperately thin now that their only true Test-class batsman Stephen Fleming [Images] has retired.

By contrast, South Africa have Jacques Kallis [Images], scorer of 30 Test centuries and named on Wednesday as Wisden's international player of the year.

They will also field fast bowler Dale Steyn, who has joined Sri Lanka [Images] spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as joint number one in the International Cricket Council bowlers' rankings.

ENIGMATIC ENGLAND

England remain an enigma. Their batting was dreadful in the first Test loss to New Zealand and the selectors may have finally lost patience with fast bowler Steve Harmison after yet another insipid display.

The selection of Stuart Broad to join the consistently excellent Ryan Sidebottom rejuvenated the pace bowling and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar [Images] finally got some wickets at the end of a disappointing winter.

New wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose cut and carved his way to a second Test century that saved the New Zealand series for England but still has some way to go to confirm he is the man to finally fill the gap left by the retirement of Alec Stewart five years ago.

Although the top six batsmen each average over 40, it is not the benchmark it was 20 years ago with the introduction of friendlier pitches and more powerful bats and they rarely fire together.

Still the talent is there to challenge Australia next year, especially if all-rounder Andrew Flintoff [Images] is finally fit to resume a Test career that has faltered since his heroics in the 2005 Ashes series.

Flintoff is confident his left ankle will be fine after a fourth operation and plans to play a full part in Lancashire's county programme with a view to taking the field at Lord's against New Zealand.

"We've made a concerted effort this time not to rush my rehab," Flintoff told reporters. "There has been nothing like in the past, when I had an Ashes or a World Cup to get back for. This time we've taken our time and got it right.

"There's a Test match on May 15 that I'd love to be involved in. I've missed a lot of international cricket through injury and I don't want to miss any more. But I'm under no illusions, to get back in that side I'll have to be fit and playing well."