Kane Williamson wasn't, then was, now isn't going to get to play in the Black Caps' final warm-up match.

Despite the New Zealand cricket team trying to ignore the Kevin Pietersen drama, it's having a bigger effect on their tour than hoped.

On Friday Mike Hesson was asked Pietersen questions and on Thursday it was Martin Guptill. Both tried to avoid being dragged into the controversy, but now it has directly affected the Black Caps and their preparation for the first test, against England at Lord's starting next Thursday.

Pietersen has been told he will not be selected for England so decided to head to the IPL instead.

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But a knee injury has ruled that out so his team, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, have opted to keep fellow import Kane Williamson around.

Williamson was always expected to be a late arrival to New Zealand's UK tour alongside Sunrisers' team-mate Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Brendon McCullum, but that looked set to change when Pietersen was India-bound.

The first day of the final warm-up match was a wash-out on Friday morning (NZ time).

Williamson wasn't expected to play any part in it, then he was and now he isn't again.

"We didn't [initially] expect him to come," Coach Mike Hesson said.

"We had some hopes, but they've now been dashed."

Hesson had no concerns about Williamson's lack of preparation ahead of the first test.

"He's a very professional young man. He'll be doing a lot of work over there and obviously use the two or three days he gets when he gets here to prepare himself as well as possible. I'd still expect him to put in a good performance in the first test."

Hesson said while it was frustrating to have the first day of the four-day match washed out, the weather forecast looked good for the remaining three days and he expected his side to be well prepared for the English at Lord's.

The English media are more concerned with their own side and how they've been struggling, but Hesson would not be drawn into the debate.

He was asked how he expected England to be affected by the Pietersen saga and by underperforming in their drawn series with the West Indies in the Caribbean.

"I don't really know, there's obviously plenty going on off the field, but every team has that from time to time and that's where you just need to focus on your job and I'm sure they'll be doing that," he said.

The Black Caps would be confident, but certainly not taking England lightly, he said.

"England have a good record here and we don't – we've only won four tests ever in our history here."