ENG vs NZ Test 2 Day 1: Joe Root and Tom Latham will be focussing on winning the match. England vs New Zealand (ENG vs NZ) 2nd Test Live Cricket Score Updates: After the drawn first Test at the Lord’s, England and New Zealand are taking on each other in the second Test at Birmingham today.
The hosts are under pressure after debutant Ollie Robinson was suspended for his old racist and sexist tweets raked up a controversy which later became bigger after some other English players’ old tweets went viral.
James Anderson is going to start this Test, making him the most capped England player. He goes past Sir Alastair Cook’s 161 Test caps. Just another feather in the cap for England’s premier bowler.
While the visitors are playing this crucial game without their regular skipper Kane Williamson because he is resting his injured elbow. The decision was taken with the World Test Championship final against India from June 18 in mind.
Tom Latham is leading the Kiwi team for the third time in Williamson’s absence while Will Young comes into the starting lineup and will bat at No 3 at Edgbaston.
Possible XIs:
England: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root (c), Ollie Pope, Dan Lawrence, James Bracey (wk), Craig Overton/Jack Leach, Olly Stone, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
New Zealand:Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin De Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel, Trent Boult
Blow to New Zealand camp just before the match. After skipper Kane Williamson's unavailability, BJ Watling has been ruled out with a back injury. The Kiwi wicket-keeper is a late withdrawal from the second Test against England in Birmingham, after failing to overcome a sore back.