New Zealand are confident seam bowler Tim Southee will be fit for the first cricket Test against England next week after being ruled out of the rest of their warm-up match against England A.

Southee bowled five overs on the third day at Grace Road in Leicester before pulling up and leaving the field.

The 24-year-old was to see a specialist to assess the injury but coach Mike Hesson said in a short statement he was “confident” Southee would be cleared to lead the New Zealand attack in the Test starting at Lord’s on Thursday.

Just 22 overs were possible as rain wiped out the last two sessions on Saturday although it allowed time for middle order batsmen Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root to celebrate their confirmation in England’s Test squad with some confidence-boosting runs.

England A went from 2-219 to 4-315 as captain Root added 40 more runs to be 145 while Bairstow unfurled an unbeaten 45 off 53 balls. The Yorkshire pair’s unbroken fifth-wicket stand was 81 before heavy rain arrived.

Left-arm seamer Trent Boult took both wickets on Saturday, removing Chris Wright for five and James Taylor for two to have figures of 2-57.

The hosts have built a 30-run, first-innings lead with six wickets in hand and a day to play.