New Zealand kicked off the series against England with a poor outing as Ben Stokes and Co took the lead in the three-match series.
The hosts are now in a must-win situation to keep the series alive. Ahead of the second Test, here are our match preview and predictions.
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The hosts had a relatively decent outing with the bat, with Kane Williamson narrowly missing out on a century in the first innings, while Glenn Philips, Tom Latham, and Rachin Ravindra all got starts and would be looking to make sure to convert them into bigger scores going forward. Williamson and Daryl Mitchell were the only two among the runs in the second innings. With the ball, Matt Henry continued to impress, while the debutant Nathan Smith put the spotlight on himself as he bowled his heart out in the first innings but was let down in the field by his teammates.
The visitors, on the other hand, had a solid performance across all disciplines. Brydon Carse and Shoaib Bashir picked up four-wicket hauls each, before Harry Brook’s massive 171 and support from Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes gave England a healthy lead. Carse was the chief wrecker in the second innings as well with a six-wicket haul as Jacob Bethell and Joe Root got England home in a comfortable chase.
The Basin Reserve in Wellington will provide support to the bowlers. Expect a tight encounter, with the visitors once again our favourites to win and take and series.
Fantasy XI: Ben Duckett, Tom Latham, Joe Root, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Glenn Phillips, Gus Atkinson, Matt Henry
Venue: Wellington
Winners Prediction: England
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