New Zealand batsman Peter Fulton is hoping his three-year absence from the Test side has given him enough time to improve his game, after a sparkling domestic season earned him a recall to face England in the upcoming series.

Fulton last played for the Kiwis in 2009, and averaged just over 20 in the 10 Tests he played. But he has nearly a thousand runs in this season's Plunket Shield, and feels he is experienced enough to make this new opportunity count.

The 34-year-old said: "Getting selected is great, but now I need to work hard, play well and score runs to keep myself in there.

"I've always looked at my international career in two parts. There's the ODI stuff, where I played 49 games and compiled a pretty handy record. Then there's the 10 or so Tests I played. I never really got going and had a pretty average record.

"I do think my game has changed a bit though and I'm a bit more versatile now. I've scored a few runs this season, some quite quickly and some I've really had to grind out."

Another veteran looking to make his mark against the Three Lions is left-arm spinner Bruce Martin, who toured with the side in South Africa but didn't get a game. He missed out in favour of Jeetan Patel.

At 32 years of age, and still without an international cap despite being called up 13 years ago for the first time, Martin hopes his chance will finally arrive in this series.

Martin said: "I worked hard in South Africa and I was disappointed I didn't get a run there. I knew I was thereabouts and I had to keep working hard. It was still a nice surprise. It's going to be good fun and I can't wait.

"I like to be attacking rather than hold up an end, I'll be looking to take poles and bowl to some pretty attacking fields."