As Graham Gooch's sixth opening partner of the Test and ODI summer (after Graeme Fowler, Robinson, Wilf Slack, Mark Benson, and Bill Athey, with Wayne Larkins also initially being called into a Test squad before pulling out due to injury[3]), Moxon took on a New Zealand side that boasted Richard Hadlee.
Wisden Cricket Monthly described Moxon as batting with "little panache, but a lot of polish" during a maiden innings of 74, which was ended when a Hadlee off cutter squeezed through his gate.
Chris Broad was recalled after a two-year absence, Wilf Slack brought back having missed all but one Test during the summer, and Bill Athey was included as an 'auxiliary' batsman.
The choice of two left-handers at the top of England's order highlighted the fact that Australia's big threat came from the battery of left arm seamers available to them, led by Bruce Reid.
Finally getting into bat just before lunch on the third day, Moxon suffered somewhat by the comparison and was dismissed by Terry Alderman (who was having a prolific summer against English batters) for 0 in the first over.
He began his career with two centuries in his first two home County Championship matches, and it was not long before his elegant driving saw him earmarked for England honours.
[12] Very much in the mould of Geoffrey Boycott, with whom he opened for Yorkshire at the start of his county career, Moxon was one of the Cricketers of the Year named by Wisden in 1993.
His career also coincided with a struggling period for Yorkshire, although he did help them to win the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1987, being named man of the match in their semi-final victory over Surrey.