A familiar face was back in the ranks as the New Zealand Test team reconvened at Hagley Oval three weeks after their stunning 3-0 win in India.
Will Young’s brilliant performance in India as Williamson’s understudy – player of the series with 244 runs – presented a conundrum. There is an easy solution, even if it seems cold on the surface. Nonetheless, Stead wants time to discuss the matter with skipper Tom Latham.
“Obviously Kane will be back in the side,” Stead said. “He’s a great player, as we know, and this causes a headache for Tom and I to get our heads around for the next day or so.
“Kane is one of the best in the world so he will play somewhere in that line-up. That is how we will shape the rest of the team around him.”
Stead is expected to play on the pitch in a format that gives way to the rest of the team. “Going down a traditional Hagley wicket, I imagine there will be four seamers there.” The identity of the fourth person is yet to be revealed, with Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy fighting to join Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke and the retired Tim Southee.
New Zealand is the favorite to win this series. A 3-0 win would send them to their second WTC final in three cycles. And following their success in India, a second title could be on the way.
“(I think) of course it will be a cracker of the Test series. We will see some fireworks which I would like to suggest.”
