Big picture: 3-0 threat overshadows Southee’s fanfare
From whitewash to whitewash? It will be quite humbling for New Zealand to be recognized for its exploits in India. But there is still time to restore your self-esteem. There have been a number of recent hiatuses on home soil by Australia, but they have tended to be two-Test series. New Zealand have lost only twice – against Australia in 1999-2000 and England in 1962-63.
We’re not there yet, but it’s been a poor series from Tom Latham’s side. The performance was marred by Christchurch’s reduced number of catches and a tentative attitude that allowed England to give up the game in Wellington despite being inserted in ideal seam bowling conditions. . As is the New Zealand way, the reaction was measured ahead of the third Test and it was not the result of a selective ax swing, but the return of Will Young so that Devon Conway could take time off to give birth to his first child.
Young was a player in the India series and could perhaps help them rediscover their mojo on that tour. A shock 3-0 win kept hopes of another World Test Championship appearance alive, but those hopes have now disappeared and the feeling that the team is in transition is likely to continue. Of the XI that defeated India in the 2021 WTC final, only Latham, Conway, Kane Williamson and Tim Southee played against England. Conway may return despite averaging just 21.44 in Tests this year, but Southee is already in the departure lounge after signaling that this series will be his last.
Despite the romantic notion that he was giving in to the same opposition he started with, it wasn’t the farewell Southee had hoped for. His debut at Napier almost 17 years ago coincided with England’s final Test series win in New Zealand, but there can be no doubt that Southee is a talent to watch after hitting 77 for 40 and taking five in an ill-fated run chase. There wasn’t. Many neutrals will be hoping he can make a suitable impact in his final appearance at his home ground, Seddon Park, where the Pavilion End was temporarily renamed the Tim Southee End for this match.
For England, there may be a sense of “job done” after playing one series, but there is a clear incentive to cap off an up-and-down year with their 17th Test victory, their 10th. There have been discussions around the team about rebooting and regrouping for the challenges ahead (i.e. at home in India next year, followed by the Ashes in Australia), but they say they will have to come into this game with Ben Stokes in tow and embrace each challenge. emphasized.
And with more than five months until their next assignment, against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, England’s final game of 2024 is likely to be a memorable one. Can Zak Crawley end his bizarre struggle against New Zealand? Can Jacob Bethell produce the decisive performance that says he is here to stay in the Test side? Is Chris Woakes quietly becoming a reliable overseas option at the age of 35? This may be a dead rubber in the old sense where even WTC points don’t matter, but both sides still have a point to prove.
Form Instructions
New Zealand LLWWW (Last 5 tests, most recent first) uk WWLLW
Spotlight: Tim Southee and Zak Crawley
Tim SoutheyThis year’s record (15 wickets at 61.66) certainly suggests that the time has come, but perhaps the announcement should have been saved for closer to the curtain call. He was repeatedly attacked by England’s batsmen and was a passenger in the series, being relegated to batting at No. 11 for the Basin Reserve, and suffered the additional indignity of being the final wicket in Gus Atkinson’s hat-trick. Southee’s record in New Zealand speaks for itself, and he probably doesn’t care what his record speaks for (in a good way) for the last time.
jack crawley I’ve been through more ups and downs than an elevator toaster during my time as an England player, and it’s been a long time since I learned how to stay level-headed. Whether he is aware that he has averaged 10.15 in 10 Tests against New Zealand in five separate series since his Seddon Park debut in 2019 is debatable. And no doubt England will not have this on their minds next time. summer. However, he will be keen to put the gloves on Matt Henry, who has dismissed him four times in 19 deliveries in this series, for his own satisfaction.
Team News: Conway’s Young In
Young is set to feature as the opener having most recently been batted at number three, while New Zealand may opt to bring in Mitchell Santner as a front-line spin option in place of Nathan Smith.
New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (cap), 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Mitchell Santner/Nathan Smith, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Will O’Rourke
The England players filtered into Hamilton on their own on Wednesday and were not due to train until Friday. Woakes avoided his third Test in succession and Matt Potts came on for his second appearance of the winter.
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 Gus Atkinson, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Matt Potts, 11 Shoaib Bashir
Pitch and Conditions: Green from the start
It rained a lot during training. New Zealand’s training was halted after 30 minutes on Thursday, with the pitch largely covered. But a glorious Friday meant the stadium opened to bright blue skies, and with a balmy weekend forecast the pitch is likely to be baked. Seddon Park has been New Zealand’s base, winning seven of the last nine Tests. Most recently, against South Africa in February, he took three runs below 250 at the ground, allowing the hosts to comfortably chase 267 by three runs in the fourth innings. Weather may affect the test, with showers expected on the third day.
Statistics and Trivia
New Zealand have not lost a Test at Seddon Park since South Africa won by nine wickets in 2012.
Kane Williamson averages 94.26 at the ground and has scored 600 runs, including a career-best 251 against West Indies in 2020.
England played two Tests in Hamilton. A high-scoring draw in 2019 and a 189-run defeat in 2008 saw Stephen Harmison and Matthew Hoggard dropped in place of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
New Zealand, who lost 2-0 to Australia earlier this year, could end their worst five-game losing streak at home since 1955-56.
Joe Root needs 114 runs to reach 13,000 for the fifth time in Tests. Gus Atkinson is two wickets short of 50 runs.
quotes
“Every Test match we play in New Zealand is another opportunity to perform at our best. There is no need for motivation at all for what we are trying to do. The crowd we have has helped us achieve our potential over the last few games. “I wasn’t able to do it, but I hope I can show my fans a good performance.” Tom Latham
“17 (Tests) in a year is a lot when you add in other cricket. It’s been a long and difficult time, but it’s been a really good year. We’ve played some good cricket and we’ve had some really talented players who have shown that they can achieve big things in the competition. “Overall, I’m really happy that it’s the biggest stage for your country.” Ben Stokes
Alan Gardner is deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
