New Zealand will “throw some punches” when it faces an attacking England within the second Test beginning on Friday in Wellington, because the host bid to rescue the two-match sequence.
Bowling greats James Anderson and Stuart Broad, mixed with some aggressive batting, propelled England to a thumping 267-run first Test win in a day-night encounter in Mount Maunganui.
It was England’s tenth win in 11 Tests below head coach Brendon McCullum and additional proof of the success of the New Zealander’s “Bazball” attacking cricket revolution.
In distinction, New Zealand is struggling for type and confidence going into the conflict at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, the place rain might play a component on the primary two days.
The host is winless in its final seven Tests since beating South Africa a 12 months in the past in Christchurch, together with struggling a 3-0 whitewash in England final June.
“I don’t think it’s unfair to say we are lacking a bit of that confidence at the moment,” mentioned head coach Gary Stead, whose facet have been dismissed for 126 of their second innings of the primary Test to lose in a bit over three days.
“But I can assure you the faith is still with this group of guys.
“We’re going to put everything behind them to make sure we go out there in Wellington and really throw some punches back at England.”
New Zealand might be buoyed by the return of skilled seam bowler Matt Henry, who was unavailable for the opener due to the beginning of his baby.
But they are going to once more be lacking quick bowler Kyle Jamieson, who is predicted to be on the sidelines for a number of months due to again surgical procedure.
Jamieson has taken 72 wickets in 16 Test appearances and his loss was keenly felt within the pink-ball Test as New Zealand struggled to comprise England’s aggressive batting.
– Stokes ‘blessed’ –
Daryl Mitchell, one of many few to supply resistance to England’s bowlers by making an unbeaten 57 throughout New Zealand’s second innings, is relishing one other crack on the customer.
“We’re excited for the next opportunity in Wellington and looking forward to taking on England again on home turf with the red ball,” mentioned Mitchell.
Captain Tim Southee mentioned that he didn’t suppose the margin between the perimeters had been mirrored within the outcome and welcomed the return to conventional red-ball Test cricket on the Basin Reserve.
England’s emphatic victory in Mount Maunganui was its first Test win in New Zealand since 2008 and extra proof of its thrilling upturn below McCullum.
Skipper Ben Stokes, who was born in New Zealand, mentioned that he felt “pretty blessed” to have bowlers of the ilk of veteran seamers Anderson and Broad, plus Ollie Robinson.
England will wait to see how the trio fare within the nets earlier than choosing the facet with all struggling some soreness after the primary Test.
“I’ve also got a seriously skilled and very brave batting line-up to watch,” added Stokes, who already has one eye on the Ashes on this 12 months’s English summer season.
“They’ve got to take a lot of credit for the sort of record I have as a captain.”
Harry Brook once more caught the attention within the first Test with the bat, after making lots of in all three Tests of England’s latest 3-0 sequence win in Pakistan.
The in-form 23-year-old smacked 89 off 81 balls in England’s first innings to set the tone after which made one other rapid-fire half-century.
“He is a fantastic talent. I think he will go on to be a global superstar,” mentioned Stokes.
After a cyclone disrupted the preparations of each groups for the primary Test, the climate might play a component in Wellington with rain and showers forecast for Friday and Saturday.
SQUADS
New Zealand (from): Tim Southee (capt), Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Blair Tickner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, Will Young
England (from): Ben Stokes (capt), James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Olly Stone
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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