Batsman Jos Buttler heralded Tuesday's 46-run triumph over a New Zealand XI at the Cobham Oval in Whangarei as the "perfect" start to England's tour of New Zealand.

Buttler's half-century, aggressive cameos from all-rounder Luke Wright and the left-handed Eoin Morgan, a hat-trick from captain Stuart Broad and three key wickets for seamers Jade Dernbach and Chris Woakes were at the helm of the success.

The fixture was originally scheduled for Monday, but heavy rain in Whangarei saw it pushed back 24 hours, with England putting in a sound all-rounder performance in preparation for their three-match T20I series against the Black Caps later this month.

"It was great to get our first win, and obviously it was a really good all-round performance from everyone. I think as a blueprint for a batting plan, it was perfect. Wickets in hand at the end allow people to come in, as I did here, and score freely at the end," said Buttler.

"It was testament to the guys ahead of me. They realised it was a bit of hard work and, instead of playing any rash shots, they got through that hard period and built a brilliant position for me to come in at the end. It's the perfect way to set up a Twenty20 innings, for that explosive finish at the end."

Tuesday's unbeaten 57 from a mere two dozen deliveries was the right-handed Buttler's first in England colours. His brisk vigil included six fours and a trio of handsome sixes, pushing the total to 186 for three.

The hosts later responded with an insufficient 140 all out, with a defiant 55 from the talented Colin Munro as good as it got in an otherwise weak batting display completed by Broad's hat-trick and two straightforward catches for wicketkeeper Buttler.

"It's obviously a proud moment. I had better not get too far ahead of myself - tomorrow is another day. But I'm looking forward to the series. Wicketkeeping is something I've been working really hard on. It's great to get this opportunity to do it," concluded Buttler.

The teams will meet again at the same venue on Wednesday, after which the T20I series gets underway at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.