Photo Credit: BCCI
BLACKCAPS wicket-keeper BJ Watling’s a late withdrawal for the second Test against England in Birmingham, after failing to overcome a sore back.
The injury has troubled Watling in the past and although it has improved in the past 24 hours, it hasn’t improved enough to be confident of him getting through a full Test behind the stumps.
Wellington Firebirds wicket-keeper batsman Tom Blundell will take the gloves and bat six in his 11th Test.
The second Test of the G.J.Gardner Homes Test tour of England begins at Edgbaston at 11am local, live on Spark Sport and the SEN-NZ radio App in New Zealand.
The New Zealand national cricket team, known as the Black Caps, made their Test debut in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth nation to play Test cricket. After waiting 26 years for their first Test win against the West Indies in 1956, they also played their first ODI in 1972–73 against Pakistan. New Zealand are the inaugural World Test Championship champions (2021) and have won the ICC Champions Trophy (2000). They have reached the Cricket World Cup final twice and the T20 World Cup final once.
