New Zealand aim for clean sweep to progress in ICC World Test Championship table
WIN a trip to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup! Vote in the ICC Awards of the Decade.
Overview
New Zealand vs West Indies, 2nd Test
Basin Reserve, Wellington
Friday, 11 December – Tuesday, 15 December, 11.00am local time, Thursday, 10 December, 10.00pm GMT
The #MenInMaroon had their first training session at the Basin Reserve today, in preparation for the second test, which begins on Friday! #NZvWI #WIReady 🏏🌴 pic.twitter.com/zcTFwNwnlW
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) December 9, 2020
New Zealand have a chance to get to 300 points in the World Test Championship and a points percentage of 62.5% if they win the second Test against West Indies. The hosts completed a clinical win in the first Test and will hope to improve their standing in the WTC points table with another win in the series.
West Indies, meanwhile, have won just one Test so far in the Championship and last won a Test match in New Zealand in 1995. It’s not just history they are up against; the New Zealand pace bowlers have been outstanding at home in the World Test Championship, averaging 18.35 in three Test matches.
Neil Wagner, who is set to play his 50th Test match in Wellington, has 48 wickets in 10 home Tests since 2018. Trent Boult has 53 in as many while Tim Southee has 58 in 11 Tests. Joining them is Kyle Jamieson, who has had an excellent start to his Test career with 13 wickets in three home Tests.
Ahead of @NeilWagner13’s 50th Test hear from bowling coach @shanejurgo on what makes him a special bowler and how he prepares to keep bowling spell after spell #NZvWI pic.twitter.com/BykIM9O4iv
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 9, 2020
West Indies have problems on the batting front with their top three averaging a combined 15.67 apiece in the World Test Championship. In Hamilton, the top three contributed just 72 runs across both innings. The visitors will hope that they will stay longer at the crease to negotiate the new ball against the hosts’ outstanding pacers.
The Black Caps could have BJ Watling back behind the stumps. If that is the case, Tom Blundell will likely move back up the order with Will Young, who made his debut in the last Test, missing out. The visitors have more concerns with Shane Dowrich and Kemar Roach flying back to the Caribbean, while the availability of both Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul is in doubt. Joshua da Silva, who was added to the squad, is expected to make his debut and keep wicket. Chemar Holder could step in for Roach in the pace attack.
Remember the last time
Jason Holder felt the West Indies needed to show a “little bit more application” after the visitors lost the first Test by an innings and 134 runs. Kane Williamson hit a double hundred as New Zealand piled on 519/7d in the first innings before bowling the West Indies out for 138. Following on in the second innings, Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph showed provided resistance with a century partnership, but despite that the visitors fell well short of forcing Williamson's side to bat again. The visitors will hope the top-order replicate some of that doggedness at Basin Reserve.
🇳🇿 Which @BLACKCAPS bowler were you most impressed with in the first #NZvWI Test?pic.twitter.com/ZtsCJkgRki
— ICC (@ICC) December 7, 2020
What they said
Gary Stead (New Zealand head coach): “It was a very clinical performance throughout, when you lose the toss and get inserted... there's always a few nerves about how much the wicket will do. I thought the pitch played really well throughout – it kept good bounce throughout and that was pleasing for us.”
Jason Holder (West Indies captain): “I think it's time we start delivering and stopped talking. We've talked a lot, we've promised a lot. I think it's a matter for us to all look ourselves in the mirror and understand that we've got to fight a little harder. We're just probably throwing the towel in too easily, just being honest.”