New Zealand and England will lock horns in the second Test match of the ongoing series on 6th December at Wellington.
Match Preview:
When these two teams faced each other in Wellington last time, it was an entertaining game, with New Zealand winning by just one run. James Anderson was on strike as the Three Lions were just one run away from victory, but Neil Wagner denied the tourists as Tom Blundell completed a perfect catch to send Anderson back to the pavilion.
This time, New Zealand will need similar heroics. Although they had their moments in the Christchurch game, fielding errors were numerous, allowing English batters to score freely, particularly Harry Brook. The home side, known for their agility in the field, dropped a total of eight catches—yes, eight—and with that loss, their chances of qualifying for the final of the WTC hang by a thread.
One of the positives was Kane Williamson. His comeback was nothing short of extraordinary, as he scored half-centuries in both innings.
On the worrying side, New Zealand has several concerns. Starting with the keeper, Tom Blundell, who has managed just one fifty in 25 innings since that epic Wellington win, where his vital 90 was instrumental in turning the tide. Devon Conway and Tim Southee were two other weak links for the side in the first Test of the series.
Since New Zealand are unchanged for the second Test, the upcoming match provides a valuable opportunity for Conway, Blundell, and Southee to make their mark.
Talking about England, they wouldn’t be too worried about the upcoming Test. The side will look forward to playing their positive brand of cricket and trying not to push the series to a decider.
Although England won the first Test of the series, the form of Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope remains a concern. Zak Crawley had a forgettable outing with scores of 0 and 1 and is under pressure to rediscover his Ashes form.
Similarly, Pope has yet to score something meaningful since his hundred against Sri Lanka in the recent past. He was below average against Pakistan and failed to make an impact in the first Test of the ongoing series as well.
Given the English side is unchanged as well, these players will aim to put on a show to ensure England wins the second Test.
Playing XI:
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. Will O’Rourke.
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.
Pitch and Weather Report:
England may have a better idea of what to expect in Wellington after their experience in Christchurch, where they opted to bowl first on a pitch that appeared green but ultimately proved flat.
According to Chris Woakes, the Wellington pitch “looks green, but not as green as Christchurch.” With a brownish hue in some areas, the pitch is expected to dry out further, suggesting a high-scoring contest, similar to England’s previous visit to Wellington.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham echoed this sentiment, predicting that the pitch won’t offer much turn based on this year’s first-class matches.
Head-to-Head Record:
In their 113-match history, England have held the upper hand, winning 53 encounters. New Zealand, on the other hand, have emerged victorious on 13 occasions. A significant number of matches—47 to be exact—have ended in a draw.
Prediction:
Given their recent performance, England are expected to win the second encounter of the series as well.
Where to Watch:
New Zealand: TVNZ+
Pakistan: Tapmad
UK: TNT sports, Discovery+
India: Amazon Prime
South Africa: Super Sports Cricket
US: Willow TV
