Blackcaps v England: Special test for Kane Williamson and Trent Boult

Colin de Gandhomme, Kane Williamson, Neil Wagner and Trent Bout will play the test match against England on home ground at Bay Oval next week. Photo / File

For Bay Oval's Kelvin Jones the only thing better than hosting their first test cricket match is having the two best teams in the world play that test.

"For us cricket tragics I guess having a test match is the ultimate but then for it to be, you know, against England ... you just couldn't ask for a better opposition," Jones, Bay Oval's general manager, says.

"Following on from the World Cup, which we try not to talk about too much, it's just incredible, to see those world cup heroes back, both New Zealand and England, up-close and personal will be something special."

"We don't want a tie."

D-Day for Bay Oval's first test match - the first Test of the G.J. Gardner Homes England Tour - is just days away, starting on Thursday, November 21. The second test - the longest, oldest and grandest version of the game, played over five days with a red ball and white clothes - will be played at Seddon Park in Hamilton, starting the following Friday, November 29.

The Blackcaps test squad named to play England was announced yesterday and features the return of Tauranga-based captain Kane Williamson, who missed the T20I series against the tourists with a re-occurring right-hip injury.

Tauranga-based athletes Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme and Neil Wagner were also named, all of whom were getting some practise in at the Mount Maunganui venue yesterday morning.

Kane Williamson fields during the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against England. Photo / Getty Images

"Our four key local players have been in [yesterday] morning actually for training - Trent, Kane, Colin de Grandhomme and Neil Wagner. All our four locals if you like ... have been named in the test squad, so that's exciting for us and I think it's exciting for them too.

"It's not often that you can sleep in your own bed and come down the road to your local ground to play a test match, I think it's special or all of us."

The test squad also features Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor and BJ Watling.

Selector Gavin Larsen said a two-week period of rest and rehabilitation had Williamson primed to return for what will be a historic inaugural Test for his home ground.

"Kane's made good progress over the past fortnight and we're delighted to welcome back a player of his class and experience.

"It's obviously going to be a very special test for him and Trent Boult being such passionate locals - we know there's already a lot of excitement in that part of the Bay of Plenty."

Preparations for the milestone match have been going well, with final touches being made to the permanent infrastructure and temporary infrastructure coming in," Jones says.

Bay Oval general manager Kelvin Jones. Photo / Andrew Warner

"It's a busy wee site at the moment. It's always an exciting time a week or so out from a big game.

"We're putting in some more permanent fencing and a newly formed entrance way, we've added a small amount of embankment and paths, we've also built a new groundsmen's shed that will one day also be a public toilet."

There's also a speed climbing wall that will be based at Bay Oval for at least three years, and will be used during next week's game but mainly beyond by climbers for training and events.

"We've worked with the local climbing association and they've built a new speed climbing wall that will be available for people to try during the test."

Temporary infrastructure such as marquees, hospitality and media entrances, perimeter LED signage , bar areas, vendors and food truck areas and more that will start taking shape from next week.

By Wednesday, Jones says staff working on site "gets in the hundreds".

"There's lots to do but it takes shape pretty quickly."

"Being our first test match there's a lot, it's all new, and there's a lot we don't know and so we're just trying to make sure we're covering everything."

The part of the hosting a test match that is no quick task, is making sure the outfield, wicket and practice facilities are ready for game day.

"From the ground staff's point of view, this is really busy. You have to do a lot of rolling and a lot of mowing and a lot of monitoring, particularly at this time of the year with the weather we have.

"It's a natural surface. It's a grass cricket wicket with clay so it's very much something that climate plays a big part in how it will play for the game.

"We're definitely excited, it's been a very, very long time in the making, a test match for us, so the team's pretty excited for it and can't wait for it to come along."

Jone's couldn't say how many people were expected at the test match but says "we know that pre-sales for this game have been very very good".

However, he says to continue to host such major events, people needed to support them so he encouraged people to turn out and attend.

"If you can, get along and support. We've had great support from this community, coming to cricket games and assistance with funding and it's been a real community effort.

"There's a lot of factors in making sure we get more of this kind of cricket. I guess the venue keeps getting better and that keeps proving itself but definitely a key part is making sure that it's something the locals want to see.

Meanwhile, young cricket fans have the chance to be the ANZ Coin Toss Kid for all Blackcaps and White Ferns matches in New Zealand this season, which will mean they will join the captains of both competing teams on the pitch before the match and help decide who bats and bowls. For more information, go to ANZcricketworld.co.nz

Blackcaps Test squad:

Kane Williamson (c) (Northern Districts), Todd Astle (Canterbury), Tom Blundell (Wellington Firebirds), Trent Boult (Northern Districts), Colin de Grandhomme (Northern Districts), Lockie Ferguson (Auckland Aces), Matt Henry (Canterbury), Tom Latham (Canterbury), Henry Nicholls (Canterbury), Jeet Raval (Auckland Aces), Mitchell Santner (Northern Districts), Tim Southee (Northern Districts), Ross Taylor (Central Stags), Neil Wagner (Northern Districts) and BJ Watling (Northern Districts).