Close Menu
Trending
Cricket

NZ vs ENG 2024/25, NZ vs ENG 2nd Test Match Preview

Hue ManeBy No Comments0 Views
NZ vs ENG 2024/25, NZ vs ENG 2nd Test Match Preview

The Big Picture: The Basin Revisited

Twenty-one months later, there is still so much to discover from New Zealand’s last meeting with England in Wellington. A packed crowd at the Basin Reserve were invited free to witness one of the most special finishes in Test history. Even a defeated James Anderson smiled at the absurdity of it all after putting his gloves on another bumper from the indefatigable Neil. Wagner was narrowly defeated.

It was the best of Bazball, but it was also arguably the worst of Bazball. On the one hand, it was a complete commitment to the cause of fun and engaging Test cricket, but – after enacting unnecessary follow-throughs that loosened the grip on the game – exploring the limits of the first cricket attack led to Brendon McCullum’s accusation that it had gone “too far”. “There are also examples of people gone. “We look at the bigger picture of what everyone enjoyed and saw here today,” Ben Stokes said after the defeat. “I think it will probably be bigger than my current disappointment.”

Can they no longer feel so frivolous about failing a test? That defeat was soon followed by two further defeats in a winning position for the 2023 Ashes, and until last week’s win in the first Test in Christchurch, England had won seven and lost seven in their 14 matches prior to 2024. Looking at what Stokes started with, compared to yet another apology to his team for losing their cool during a 2-1 defeat in Pakistan, it’s clear something has hardened in the intervening years. Now he’s saving his humble beginnings for the ICC’s overrated adjudicators. Probably won’t get very far on the WTC front. However, this could be an outlet for his frustration.

But what if New Zealand had taken some chances in Christchurch? A stunning eight runs down in England’s first innings means the team is now all square in terms of generosity. And considering five of those came off the bat of “Jun” Harry Brook, it’s no surprise that the rest of the match was one. – Directional traffic.

Brook’s 171 was a formidable knock despite being dropped, taking his record for New Zealand to exactly 500 at 100.00. But now he has returned to the scene of perhaps his most underwhelming knock. His first-innings strike of 186 in 2023 started much like last week’s effort, with England 21 for 3 after Matt Henry and Tim Southee tore through the top order in the space of 40 balls. But it was one-way traffic for the rest of the truncated opening day. If the weather hadn’t dipped 25 times during the day while he was sitting pretty on 184, Brook would surely have surpassed his double century there, and who knows. The third century of Multan may not have been his. first.

New Zealand bounced back then as they do now, and Kane Williamson’s ill-fated return from a groin injury was very encouraging in that regard. But the shortcomings in Christchurch extended beyond defensive errors. Despite Devon Conway’s vital contribution in that epic series win in India, where he has averaged 21.10 in the last 12 months, Tom Blundell’s form is a much bigger concern. He reached 150 in the 25 innings following Wellington’s victory, with his crucial 90 innings playing a key role in turning the tide.

And while there were questions about Tim Southee’s approach at the end of his brilliant Test career, Christchurch’s weak link was glaring as Brook and Ben Duckett took turns to bring him down. And yet he still had that moment in the window of opportunity, early in England’s first innings, when the clouds cleared and the ball clattered. England’s shortcomings against moving balls – be it spin in Asia or seam and swing elsewhere – have not been adequately disproved in this year’s uneven displays. If there is a way to get back into the New Zealand series, he will certainly be found by a good length and come back through the gate.

Form Instructions

New Zealand LWWWL (Last 5 tests, most recent first)
uk WLLWL

Spotlight – Brydon Carse and Will O’Rourke

Brydon Carse’s 10-wicket haul in Christchurch confirmed what we have already learned from his tremendous performances in Pakistan. England has found itself a real contender here. His speed and aggression were once again unstoppable, and his accuracy did little to showcase his penetration over the two innings. His 10 for 106 emulated Ryan Sidebottom’s performance at Hamilton in 2008, the last England player to take 10 wickets in an overseas Test, and a remarkable resurgence after the summer’s betting ban that further hampered his debut. . His three months on the sidelines may have been a blessing in disguise considering he has the freshness Gus Atkinson lacks after a summer’s effort on this winter tour, but the challenge of backing up last week’s efforts will be crucial in every game. no see. same.

With a bit of luck, Will O’Rourke might have delivered numbers to rival Carse’s. He may not be as tall as Kyle Jamieson, who is currently out for a year with another stress fracture, but he used his 6ft4 frame to generate speeds in excess of 145kph in Christchurch, troubling England’s batsmen even more. . than a match hole of 2 for 165 would suggest. Three of his eight first-innings catches came off the bowling, and despite fielding 104 catches in the second innings, he dismissed a rampaging Ben Duckett with his first ball and then almost delivered Joe Root’s first Test pair. . Even as he raced to victory, no one was entirely comfortable with his sharp speed and bounce. A blank slate and a clear breeze in Wellington is the least he deserves.

Team News: No changes for both sides

New Zealand has more than just catching to worry about. A stronger all-round batting contribution, bolstered by big scores from Conway and/or Blundell, will not go astray, nor will Southee fully get into his groove. Nonetheless, the hosts opted for an unchanged side for this second Test following captain Tom Latham’s assessment that there was no need for a major overhaul of their approach after the defeat in Christchurch.

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

Ollie Robinson (Durham version) arrived in New Zealand as a wicket-keeper for Jordan Cox, but the search for a valid passport appears to have been in vain. England named an unchanged XI just two days after being thrown, and Ollie Pope amply proved adequate behind the stumps, as he did in similar emergency situations against Pakistan in 2022. Consider the important 77 points from No. 6 and that of Jacob Bethell. A precocious debut at No. 3 and England appear to have found a handy balance in adversity. England refused to turn the seamer and Stokes is expected to be fit to bowl after enduring a mid-over backnigle in New Zealand’s second innings.

uk: 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

Venues and Conditions: Will there be another Run Festival in store?

England may be given an advance warning after winning the toss and being bowled out on a clear green top after the calm conditions they faced on day one in Christchurch. This Wellington deck is “green, but I’m not sure if it’s as green as it was last week,” said Chris Woakes after two days of testing. Based on the events of England’s last visit to Wellington, it looks like there will be more brown spots and more matches to be played. On the eve of the game, Latham didn’t expect the game to change based on the best game he’s played all year.

Statistics and Trivia

  • New Zealand have won 23, lost 21 (and drawn 24) in their previous 68 Tests at the Basin Reserve.

  • But six of those wins have come in the last eight Tests at the stadium since 2017, with one draw coming against Sri Lanka in 2018 and the most recent defeat against Australia in February.

  • Tim Southee, who has up to two Tests left in his career, needs five more sixes to reach 100 in the Tests that resulted in two defeats in Christchurch.

  • This Test features four of the top five batsmen in the ICC rankings, with Joe Root and Harry Brook at No. 1 and No. 2, and Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell at No. 3 and No. 5. It takes the top spot.

    • quotes

    “If you look at the surface here, if you look at the games played here this year, I was a bit surprised to see the wicket turn a bit last year, and when you look at the games here, Wellington’s first-class. “I think the balance we’ve taken is the right balance for this wicket. “Anyway, I think we definitely have some spin options in the top seven and the guys are looking forward to the challenge.”
    Black Caps Captain Tom Latham

    “I don’t regret doing it. It ended up being a good game and we were never able to run away with the win. “It would be nice if that situation happened again this time, but I’m worried about whether to enforce follow-up measures or not,” he said.
    Ben StokesEngland’s captain was then and now in enforcing the follow-through.

    Andrew Miller is ESPNcricinfo’s UK editor. @Miller_Cricket

    Share.

    Related Posts

    Leave A Reply