Before the ongoing New Zealand series, the English Test team won only one match and lost eleven of the last seventeen Test matches. The ECB made a necessary move to rejuvenate the squad. They handed over the captaincy to Ben Stokes and appointed Brendon McCullum as the new head coach. The combination has proved to be a magical one as the England team has regained their confidence. They have a 2-0 lead in the ENG vs NZ Test Series 2022 series after winning the first two matches. Will New Zealand be able to stop this confident England side in the third Test? The third match preview is discussed in this article.
England vs New Zealand Third Test: Match Preview
The third Test match is very important for both sides as it is a part of the ICC’s Test Championship. England can be very close to New Zealand in the points table if they whitewash them. On the other hand, New Zealand can increase their PCT if they finish the ENG vs NZ Test Series 2022 by 2-1. The third match of the series will start on Thursday (June 23) at Headingley, Leeds. The match will start at 4 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). Both teams have met each other on eight occasions at this ground. England have edged the head-to-head contest at this venue with five wins.
Head-to-head record at Headingley (England vs New Zealand)
England
The atmosphere of the English Test campaign is very positive at the moment. It seems that Captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have managed everything pretty well. Former skipper Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow have done the job with the bat. The veteran James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Matthew Pots are England’s premier wicket-taking bowlers in this series.
One big news is that Anderson is unlikely to play the third match due to an injury concern. Jamie Overton may have his Test debut with the English side in this match.
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope;
Middle-Order: Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes (wicket-keeper), Matthew Potts;
Lower-Order: Jamie Overton, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad.
New Zealand
The Kane Williamson-led Kiwi Test side needs to finish high in the ongoing series with England. Losing the series 3-0 would be an embarrassing result for the Blackcaps. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell have both done well with the bat. Skipper Kane Williamson needs to step up, along with Devon Conway. Trent Boult is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 12. But other Kiwi bowlers’ stats haven’t been impressive.
In the final contest, Tim Southee, Wagner, and the other premier bowlers have to show their true potential in order to avoid a whitewash. Two changes in the playing XI are almost confirmed for the Blackcaps. Skipper will likely replace Michael Bracewell, while Neil Wagner may replace the injured Kyle Jamieson.
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Tom Latham, Will Young, Kane Williamson (captain);
Middle-Order: Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wicket-keeper), Tim Southee;
Lower-Order: Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel, Trent Boult.
Weather and Pitch Condition
There is a strong possibility of rain over the weekend in Leeds, and this may hamper the progress of the contest. Headingley is a classical surface which offers batters a chance to thrive for a big score. Therefore, the bowlers have to do their homework to put the batters under pressure. The toss-winning captain should bat first on this surface to score a big total in the first innings.
Bottom Line
The English side will play the match with no pressure as they have already sealed the ENG vs NZ Test Series 2022. This will give a significant advantage to England over the New Zealand team in the contest. On the other hand, the Kiwi side needs to find a strategy to outperform England during the match. This will put substantial pressure on the Blackcaps as the opposition side’s confidence level is currently very high. New Zealand’s campaign will need exceptional performances from its players to prevent a whitewash.
Source: United News of Bangladesh