England vs New Zealand – 2nd Test Match Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is England vs New Zealand taking place? Thursday, June 10th, 2021 – 11:00 (UK)
Where is England vs New Zealand taking place? Edgbaston, Birmingham
What is the expected weather for England vs New Zealand? 22-27c with light cloud on Day 1, but sunshine forecast across Days 2-5 with a gentle breeze
What channel is England vs New Zealand on? The match will be televised live on Sky Sports
Where can I stream England vs New Zealand? The match can be streamed live via SkyGo
LAST MEETING
Match Drawn
THE TEAM NEWS
ENGLAND
- A youthful England batting line-up struggled in the first test against a wily New Zealand pace bowling attack and were indebted to opener Rory Burns, who hit 132 with England under pressure in their first innings, however the match ultimately petered out into a draw as the hosts made little attempt to chase down a target of 273 from 75 overs in the final two sessions of the match.
- The most impressive performer for England with the ball was debutant Ollie Robinson, who took seven wickets over the course of the match, comfortably the most of any other England bowler, however he’ll remember this test match for all the wrong reasons after being revealed during Day 1 of the test to have posted historical racist and sexist tweets back in 2012 and 2013.
- Those tweets have led to Robinson being suspended from international cricket by the ECB pending an internal investigation, meaning he will therefore miss the second test with either pace bowler Craig Overton or spin bowler Jack Leach set to replace him, whilst Yorkshire’s spin bowling all-rounder Dom Bess has been added to the squad.
NEW ZEALAND
- New Zealand will have been very happy with their performance in the first test when considering it was their first experience of red ball cricket since early January, as they seized the initiative early on after winning toss and batting, with opener Devon Conway scoring an incredible double century to help his side rack up 378 in their first innings and put England under pressure for the rest of the test match.
- Swing bowling veteran Tim Southee shone with the ball at Lord’s, taking 6/43 at an economy rate of just 1.71 an over in England’s first innings, but after bowling over 42 overs across all five days, the 32-year-old may be afforded a rest for the second test as the Black Caps look towards the World Test Championship final against India later in the month, with left-arm fast medium bowler Trent Boult set to come into the side should Southee be rotated out following his extended period of rest after the suspended IPL.
- Captain Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the second test due to an elbow injury with Tom Latham set to deputise as captain, whilst all-rounder Mitchell Santner will miss out through a finger injury with the likes of top order batter Will Young, pace bowler Matt Henry and specialist spinner Ajaz Patel all hoping for an opportunity at Edgbaston.
THE PREDICTION
The first test between England and New Zealand was largely dominated by the tourists from the opening session and if not for rain washing out the entirety of Day 3, the Kiwis may have found themselves in a much better position to force a victory. Instead captain Kane Williamson was forced to declare at lunch on Day 5, setting England an arguably generous target of 273 in a minimum of 75 overs. However, with the pitch offering assistance for New Zealand’s swing bowlers and three of England’s specialist batters coming off the back of ducks in the first innings, the hosts decided to dig in and ensure a drawn opening test. Unfortunately, this match was overshadowed by the historical racist and sexist tweets posted by England debutant Ollie Robinson as a teenager, which has since led to him being suspended by the ECB. England will have to do without Robinson for the second test, however this provides an opportunity for a bowler not selected in the first test like Craig Overton, Jack Leach or even fast bowler Olly Stone on his home ground of Edgbaston to stake their claim for a place in the side ahead of their five-test series against India later in the summer.
Williamson is an injury doubt for this match due to an elbow problem, with a decision to be made by New Zealand the day before the test begins and his absence would represent a big blow for the Black Caps. Edgbaston has proven a very happy hunting ground for England down the years, having won 28 of 52 tests played at the ground, although their last match there saw them beaten by Australia in the 2019 Ashes series. Veteran bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad were ineffective at Lord’s and they are both expected to play a much more prominent role in the second test. The key for England in this contest will be whether their inexperienced batting line-up can fire on all cylinders with the likes of Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope each desperate for a big score. It will prove a big challenge against a formidable tourist bowling attack and winning the toss could be an important factor with the weather set fair over the five days. However, if England’s top order can click into gear on a normally batting friendly track at Edgbaston, then the hosts have the bowling resources even without Robinson to go on and claim victory in this second test.
