Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"There's no movement for the bowlers and if it's not moving in the morning, how's it going to move with an old ball in the afternoon?"

Alex Hales has a bit of blue tape on the peak of his helmet. As though he's patched it up himself, Jack Duckworth style. The opener is looking good out there, punching a couple off the back foot and then stepping back in his crease to deadbat a couple of deliveries trained on the top of off. 

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Wylde: I haven't had the pleasure of playing there but the backdrop at the Singapore Cricket Club is pretty impressive!

Image source, Getty Images

Another four for Alastair Cook. England could go big today.

The bounce is true, the outfield's fast and the bowling attack, let's be honest, is green.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

Image source, Getty Images

"With that four, Alastair Cook went past Graham Gooch on the all-time list of run-scorers as England captain - on 3,586. Only Michael Atherton, with 3,815, has scored more." 

Go on, skip! Alastair Cook pulls a badge-high delivery from Chris Morris for four. Great shot. Not bad for less than 10 overs in... and a decent way to bring up another personal milestone.

Colin Grant: Dharamsala cricket ground with Himalayas in background - truly spectacular.

Image source, Colin Grant

Kagiso Rabada is in the game now, jumping through the crease and delivering the new nut at a decent lick. He's also fond off the odd sledge in the direction of the batsman. A fiery paceman. I like him. Three from the over.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Rex Features

"It's a good angle of attack for Morris to target Alastair Cook from around the wicket.  The angle makes him play more, he's been leaving the ball well from over the wicket."

Image source, Martin Braunton

Martin Braunton: Can't beat Queenstown, NZ and the truly remarkable Remarkables.

It's not taken long for Chris Morris to go round the wicket to Alastair Cook. When the skipper is in the form he's in, it's hard to see a weakness but I wager he's looking forward to the time Morris takes a breather at fine leg. The debutant is getting nice shape every now and again, which makes it even harder for the batsman to account for.

Alex Hales, meanwhile, looks in good nick. He again takes one off his pads and caresses it through mid-wicket for three.

Kagiso Rabada recovers his poise quickly to send down four successive and nerve-settling dots.

Image source, Getty Images

Christopher Sparke: Favourite ground? The Basin Reserve, Wellington. Absolutely beautiful - grass banks and overlooked by Mount Victoria.

Here's our first look at the bowling of Kagiso Rabada then.

Alex Hales likes what he sees. First he clips four through the leg side then helps himself to another boundary past a diving gully.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"De Kock's taking the ball at shoulder height.  There's plenty of bounce out there."

Image source, Rex Features

Alastair Cook trusts the bounce of this pitch more than his personal accountant, judging by his leave to a delivery which sails over middle stump. When the bowler, Chris Morris, goes a little fuller he is clipped for two by Cook, who is denied a boundary by some pretty athletic fielding in the deep by Kagiso Rabada.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"Hales looks like he's in two minds. He just has to play his natural game. There will be times where he plays bad shots like he did in the first innings in Durban, but he's a different type of player to Cook - that's why he's in the team."

A great response to that leg-before shout against Alex Hales, who clips four off his pads and into the leg side.