Cricket: Black Caps set to stay steady for second test against England

Gary Stead and Tim Southee are unlikely to make many changes. Photo / photosport.nz

Black Caps fans yearning for “snappy changes” are likely to be disappointed, despite coach Gary Stead admitting his side are currently lacking confidence.

New Zealand, comprehensively dispatched in the first test against England, will retain the majority of their XI for the second match at the Basin Reserve, starting on Friday.

There will be one alteration, with Matt Henry to take the new ball following the birth of his first child, but faith will remain in much of the personnel.

Stead and skipper Tim Southee have little choice. They could be tempted to include Will Young as an extra batsman, given the first test was lost with the willow, yet that would require Daryl Mitchell’s part-timers to serve as a fourth pace option.

But having omitted from the squad Ish Sodhi and Jacob Duffy, and with Kyle Jamieson booked in for back surgery that will sideline him for three-to-four months, that’s the extent of any potential alterations.

Henry will likely play in place of either first-test debutant - with Blair Tickner impressing more with the ball but Scott Kuggeleijn a better choice if the hosts are worried about the length of their tail - and will boost the bowling attack.

But the 31-year-old boasts an average of 41 from 18 tests and, given a free-swinging England are inclined to offer opportunities to any bowler, there are only so many improvement to be made with the ball.

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The Black Caps are instead hoping their top order enjoys a reversal in fortunes once removed from the spotlight of Bay Oval, where the moving pink ball at night proved too probing for the group.

Devon Conway’s first-innings 77 was the sole score exceeding 15 until Daryl Mitchell’s fighting but futile 57no on the fourth day. But Conway, Tom Latham and Kane Williamson all enjoyed success during the drawn series in Pakistan earlier this summer.

Henry Nicholls, however, is now averaging 18 in 11 innings since his century against South Africa a year ago. But to begin a theme, Stead was unswerving in his support.

“When you have a small run of form when you don’t quite get what you want, sometime you just need that little bit of luck,” the coach said. “Henry’s a great guy and he’s been a fantastic batsman for New Zealand, and we’ve got a lot of faith he can do that again.

“[Young] is in the reckoning, but we have faith in the guys that have done it for a long time. We’ve been loathe to make wholesale or snappy changes when all of our top order struggled.”

Now without a win in seven tests - and facing an opposition on a roll of 10 victories in 11 - something will have to change if the Black Caps wish to avoid snapping a 10-series unbeaten run at home.

Stead pointed out that run - which led to a world championship - was unprecedented in New Zealand cricket, but backed his players to at least square this series.

“I don’t think it’s unfair to say we are probably lacking a bit of confidence,” he said. “But I can assure you the faith is still with this group of guys.

“We believe these are our best cricketers and we’re going to put everything behind them to make sure we go out there in Wellington and really throw some punches back at England.”