New Zealand will aim to bounce back strongly when they face England in the second Test of the series in Wellington, starting Friday. The hosts remain in the race for a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final and will need to defeat the formidable English team at the bowling-friendly Basin Reserve.
England lead the three-match series 1-0 after a commanding 8-wicket victory in Christchurch and will head to Wellington with hopes of securing a series win. Kane Williamson made a significant impact on his return to international cricket, but the Black Caps struggled with their bowling performance.
Basin Reserve Pitch Report
According to reports, the Basin Reserve pitch for the second Test is covered with plenty of grass. Fast bowlers are expected to have the upper hand with the new ball, but historically, teams have been able to put up substantial totals after the early stages. The average score in the first innings at this venue is 315, and only 16 of the 71 Test matches played here have seen the team batting first win. Therefore, the toss is likely to play a crucial role on Friday.
Basin Reserve Wellington Stats
| Total Matches | 71 |
| Matches won batting first | 16 |
| Matches won bowling first | 29 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 315 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 310 |
| Average 3rd innings Score | 249 |
| Average 4th innings Score | 140 |
| Highest total recorded | 680/8 (210 Ovs) By NZ vs IND |
| Lowest total recorded | 42/10 (39 Ovs) By NZ vs AUS |
| Highest score chased | 277/3 (74.5 Ovs) By PAK vs NZ |
| Lowest score defended | 64/10 (27.3 Ovs) By ENG vs NZ |
Squad
New Zealand Test squad: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, William O’Rourke, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Will Young
England Test squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wk), Ben Stokes (c), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir, Rehan Ahmed, Oliver Robinson, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Olly Stone
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