New Zealand Pacer Nathan Smith To Make Debut In First England Test

New Zealand put their historic 3-0 series win in India behind them Wednesday as they selected pace bowler Nathan Smith to make his debut against England in the first Test. The 26-year-old Smith will start his Test career on the seam-friendly Hagley Oval pitch in Christchurch, far removed from the Indian playing surfaces where spin dominated. New Zealand captain Tom Latham confirmed that a fit-again Kane Williamson would return for the Test beginning Thursday, meaning there was no room in the batting line-up for Will Young, who was the player-of-the-series in India. 

Latham described the India series as “an amazing couple of weeks” but added, “that’s in the past”.

The captain said his side had belief in themselves after inflicting India’s first home Test series defeat since 2012 and winning for the first time on the sub-continent. 

“The way we played, the approach that we tried to take into that series in conditions that were tough, knowing that we can do it all around the world, builds confidence,” Latham said.

New Zealand should not lack confidence at Hagley Oval where they have won nine and drawn one of the 13 Tests played on a traditionally green wicket. 

With long-serving seamers Trent Boult and Neil Wagner having retired and Tim Southee struggling for form, 32-year-old Matt Henry has emerged to spearhead the pace attack.

Latham said rookie Smith would complement the seam trio of Henry, Southee and Will O’Rourke. 

“He moves the ball both ways in the air and hits the wicket reasonably hard … and he can bat a bit as a bowling all-rounder which certainly helps the balance of the side.” 

Stokes backs Bethell

If England lose the toss it means the untested 21-year-old Jacob Bethell could be in the firing line early to face the new ball on a surface helping the seam bowlers. 

England captain Ben Stokes defended Bethell’s surprise selection, saying he was “not trying to wind people up. We do know what we’re doing”.

Bethell, who has a highest score of 93 in first-class cricket, got the call after wicketkeeper Jordan Cox broke his thumb last week.

Ollie Pope will slide down from three to bat at six and take the gloves. Ben Stokes will move down one spot to number seven.

England could have asked Joe Root to bat three, but Stokes said they did not want too many moving parts.

“We just wanted to keep the simplicity of it where we had the batting order and everyone knows what they’re doing throughout the week.” 

England have not won a Test series in New Zealand since 2008 and Stokes, whose side are coming off a 2-1 defeat in Pakistan, was aware of the challenge against a buoyant New Zealand. 

“Going to India and winning three games in a row is a huge, huge thing to be able to say you’ve done as a team and it’s massive for world cricket,” he said. 

“I think it was a huge thing for cricket in general that a touring team has been able to go over there and get one over India.” 

New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Will O’Rourke. 

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes (capt), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.

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