New Zealand vs England, 1st Test: Preview and stats
England are set to face hosts New Zealand in the first of a three-Test series. The match will be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, starting on November 28. However, the Kiwis would be high on confidence after sealing a historic 3-0 away Test series triumph against India. Here's more. Meanwhile, England lost to Pakistan in their preceding Test assignment. Her is the preview.
England's performance in 2024
England had a brilliant home season that saw them whitewash the West Indies in a three-Test series in July. They also triumphed over Sri Lanka (2-1), marking a successful summer for the red ball team. However, their autumn trip to the subcontinent resulted in a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Pakistan. The nature of their loss in the third Test raised eyebrows among cricket enthusiasts.
England's strategy and key players
England's inconsistent performance this year has been highlighted by a string of mixed results. Despite the talent in the team, consistent results have remained elusive. The aggressive cricket style called 'Bazball' needs to show its effectiveness in this series. Joe Root, who became England's all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket this year, is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming matches against New Zealand.
New Zealand's rise in Test cricket
New Zealand has witnessed a meteoric rise in Test cricket this year, having jumped to the fifth spot in the ICC Men's Test Team rankings. Their recent 3-0 whitewash against second-ranked India has highlighted their growing stature as a Test nation. Player of the Series Will Young has played a key role in this resurgence and is likely to continue his good form against England.
Pitch report, timing, and broadcast details
The Hagley Oval in Christchurch will host the duel. 15 Tests have been played at this venue with the side bowling first emerging winners nine times. While batters tend to dominate an initial couple of days here, pacers become lethal in the latter half. Live Streaming of all three matches in the New Zealand vs England Test series will be avaialbe on Amazon Prime Video (3:30am IST).
A look at the head-to-head record
As per ESPNcricinfo, England have a massive lead over NZ as far as the head-to-head record is concerned. The two sides have clashed in 112 Tests so far, with England winning 52. NZ have emerged winners on just 13 occasions, while 47 have resulted in a draw. Last year, the two teams played out a 1-1 draw in New Zealand. They haven't met in Tests thereafter.
England's dominance in New Zealand
England have also been dominant on New Zealand soil, having won 19 and drawn 27 matches against the Black Caps. The home side has only been able to win seven matches in these encounters. However, England's last Test series win in New Zealand came in 2008. Nevertheless, they have won a total of 10 Test series in the country over the years.
Key players to watch out for
Several players from both teams have been phenomenal in previous encounters. Daryl Mitchell has scored 741 runs across seven Tests against England at 74.10. Devon Conway made a mark with a double-century on his Test debut against England in 2021 at Lord's. From the English side, Joe Root has scored 788 Test runs in NZ at 52.53. Stokes boasts 780 Test runs against the Kiwis at 41.05.
Here are the possible XIs
England (confirmed XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wk), Ben Stokes (c), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir. New Zealand (probable XI): Devon Conway, Tom Latham (c), Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tom Blundell (wk), Tim Southee, Will O'Rourke, Matt Henry, Nathan Smith.
