England aim to banish travel sickness in New Zealand’s first day-night Test
OVERVIEW
New Zealand v England
First Test
Eden Park, Auckland
22-26 March, 01:00 GMT (day-night)
As England approach their 1000th Test (this is No.996) there’s a widely-held view that they need to stop batting like millennials and exhibit some old-world patience and solidity.
Joe Root and his team cannot consider a two-match rubber in New Zealand an easily-digested dessert after the hefty and unpalatable main course of the Ashes.
This is New Zealand’s tenth home Test in a row stretching back to November 2016 – they have won six and lost only one, to South Africa in Wellington a year ago.
England, on the other hand, have lost nine of their last 11 Tests away from home. On their last visit to Eden Park in 2013 they were saved from defeat only by a gutsy century from Matt Prior as they held on to draw with nine wickets down.
The home side will show two changes from the side that beat Windies by 240 runs in Hamilton in December.
Keeper BJ Watling, who made a century in the last Test meeting between these sides in Leeds in 2015, returns after a hip injury to replace Tom Blundell while spinner Mitchell Santner faces knee surgery and a long time on the sidelines.
The key decision for the Blackcaps is whether to replace Santner with inexperienced leg-spinner Todd Astle or go with an all-pace attack under the lights with the pink ball, meaning Matt Henry would get the nod.
Ross Taylor is still struggling with a thigh injury he aggravated during his spectacular match-winning 181 not out in the fourth ODI, which subsequently ruled him out of the decider, but is expected to play. Martin Guptill, who has not made a Test appearance since he faced India in October 2016, has been drafted in as experienced cover.
England welcome back Ben Stokes after his Ashes absence but he may have to play only as a batsman if his back injury does not allow him to bowl, although he emerged without discomfort from an indoor bowling spell. If England have concerns over his bowling fitness then a batsman would be dropped with James Vince the most vulnerable, which would likely see Dawid Malan move up to No.3.
There seems to be a strong possibility that, in one of those era-shifting moments, Stuart Broad will not take the new ball alongside James Anderson with Chris Woakes or Mark Wood, if he plays, taking that responsibility.
Key playersTrent Boult (New Zealand): Alastair Cook was only dismissed twice by the left-arm pace of Mitchell Starc in the Ashes – it was Nathan Lyon who had his number – but fellow leftie Trent Boult will fancy adding to his 32 scalps (at an average of 25) against England. Five of those are Cook, though it should be said that England’s leading run-scorer had centuries to his name on two of those occasions.
Ben Stokes (England): Ben Stokes showed how much he means to England’s white-ball side during the one-day series and his presence – even if he doesn’t bowl – is just as integral to their inconsistent red-ball outfit. His 85-ball century – the fastest Test ton at Lord’s – in England’s remarkable turnaround win against the Blackcaps in 2015 remains fresh in the memory.
Conditions
The curious shape of this rugby ground arguably affects white-ball matches more but the short boundary in one corner is still a factor. There are inevitably many unknowns about how the pink ball may behave here but don’t expect much pace from the drop-in pitch. Tests don’t happen that often at Eden Park but there has been only one draw in the last eight and that was in 2013 when England hung on with nine wickets down.
In the spotlightNew Zealand: Jeet RavalThe India-born left-hander has made a very solid start to his Test career with six fifties in his first nine Tests and three scores over 80 in his last four innings. But Jimmy Anderson loves bowling to lefties and he will undoubtedly fancy chipping away the relative inexperience of the 29-year-old in order to get Kane Williamson to the crease early against the new ball.
England: Joe RootHis last Test century was under the lights at Edgbaston in August and two centuries from 12 scores of 50-plus in his last 12 Tests is not the conversion rate of a player of the very highest class. Compare his opposite number Kane Williamson who has three hundreds from five 50-plus scores in seven Tests since the start of 2017. This series is a vital post-Ashes milestone in the development of Root as a Test leader.
Teams (possible)
New Zealand: Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, BJ Watling (wk), Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult
**England:**Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Mark Wood
