On Wednesday, New Zealand chose pace bowler Nathan Smith to make his Test debut against England, putting their historic 3-0 series victory in India behind them.
New Zealand chose pace bowler Nathan Smith to make his Test debut against England on Wednesday, putting their record 3-0 series victory in India behind them. Far from the Indian playing fields where spin predominated, the seam-friendly Hagley Oval ground in Christchurch will host the 26-year-old Smith’s Test debut. There was no place for Will Young, the player-of-the-series in India, in the batting lineup as New Zealand captain Tom Latham revealed that Kane Williamson will return for the Test starting Thursday.
The India series was “an amazing couple of weeks,” according to Latham, but “that’s in the past.”
After defeating India in their first home Test series since 2012 and winning for the first time on the subcontinent, the captain said his team had faith in themselves.
“The way we played, the approach that we tried to take into that series in conditions that were tough, knowing that we can do it all around the world, builds confidence,” Latham stated.At Hagley Oval, where they have won nine and drawn one of the thirteen Test matches played on a traditionally green track, New Zealand shouldn’t be lacking confidence.
With Tim Southee ailing and veteran seamers Trent Boult and Neil Wagner retired, 32-year-old Matt Henry has taken the lead in the pace assault.
The seam combination of Will O’Rourke, Southee, and Henry would be complemented by rookie Smith, according to Latham.
“He moves the ball both ways in the air and hits the wicket reasonably hard … and he can bat a bit as a bowling all-rounder which certainly helps the balance of the side.”
New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Will O’Rourke.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes (capt), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.
