NEW ZEALAND VS ENGLAND 1ST TEST MATCH: Live Streaming, Where to Watch, & Match Preview

England and New Zealand are all set to lock horns in a thrilling three-Test series, starting November 28. The Black Caps are riding high on confidence after their historic win over India, and they’ll be eager to secure the final spot in the ICC World Test Championship.

Team Overview:

This series is also special for New Zealand, as it marks Tim Southee’s last Test appearance. The team will undoubtedly want to give their veteran fast bowler a fitting farewell.

On the other hand, England is looking to end their WTC cycle on a positive note, despite being out of contention for the final. They’ve had a tough time with injuries, with Jordan Cox ruled out due to a thumb fracture and Ben Stokes struggling with fitness issues. Jamie Overton has also been ruled out due to injury and Jamie Smith is on paternal leave. Ollie Pope’s form has also been a concern.

Kane Williamson is also set to make his comeback to the side, having missed the entire tour against India. This means that Will Young will have to make his way out for Kane. New Zealand will field four pacers in their attack to remain relevant to the conditions at the Hagley Oval.

However, England have a strong recent record against New Zealand, having won their last four encounters. They’ll be looking to draw inspiration from those victories and cause an upset. With their backs against the wall, England might just spring a surprise. The visitors have added three fast bowlers to their squad and a solitary spinner. At number three, they have Jacob Bethell, who will surprisingly make his debut in the position.

Playing XI:

England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ollie Pope (wk), 7 Ben Stokes (capt), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Brydon Carse, 11 Shoaib Bashir

New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Nathan Smith, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Matt Henry, 11 William O’Rourke

Pitch and weather report:

If you’re a team batting second at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval Stadium, you’re in luck! The pitch tends to favor teams that chase, with 7 out of 13 Test matches played here resulting in wins for the team batting second.

The average first innings score is around 284. But here’s the thing – teams that bat first don’t always have the upper hand. In fact, teams that have batted first have only won 4 matches, while teams that have chased targets have won 8 times. So, whoever wins the toss, would think twice before batting first.

Prediction:

New Zealand have every reason to win this game. It’s their home turf, they are on a roll, and their team looks all balanced. With Willamson back, they can cause huge trouble for England.