Left Arm Around

As far as Test cricket goes, these two teams couldn’t be at more different points.

Hosts New Zealand are fresh from a historic series whitewash in India, a triumph that looks even more impressive given India’s thrashing over Australia in Perth.

Veteran quick bowler Tim Southee has announced his intentions to retire from the longest format after the third Test in Hamilton, providing him a great opportunity to end on a high against the same side he made his debut back in 2008.

The Black Caps are also buoyed by the return of captain and long-term talisman Kane Williamson- a batter champing at the bit to hit the ground running after a period of frustrating injuries.

And then there’s England.

Ben Stokes’ side have received plenty of adulation since the inauguration of ‘Bazball’ in 2022.

But after an astonishing downturn of fortunes in Pakistan, losing the series 2-1 after a remarkable victory in the first Test, the Three Lions have faced serious questions of their methods as they look to win a series in New Zealand for the first time since 2008.

In-form wicket-keeper Jamie Smith was confirmed to miss the tour to attend the birth of his first child, a huge blow in itself, though England’s preparations were given another spanner in the works when his replacement Jordan Cox was injured in the nets and ruled out.

Unfortunately for Stokes and co, hindsight is a wonderful thing and many have labelled selection policies ‘crazy’ with no other reserve keepers in the squad.

Ollie Pope has been shifted to keep and now bat at number 6, rising star Jacob Bethell has been handed a Test debut batting at 3- a position he’s never seen in first-class cricket, and Stokes has responded to critics by insisting ‘they know what they’re doing’.

Not exactly ideal heading into a huge series on enemy territory as the Kiwis ride the crest of a wave…

Why the series remains 50/50

Recent form suggests that New Zealand would be heavy favourites, something I lean towards myself.

Yet as we’ve seen before, who knows what version of this England side will turn up.

Take the last tour in 2022 for example!

The sheer brilliance of Joe Root and Harry Brook saw England plunder runs, cantering towards an almost certain series victory.

But as they bulldozed forward and searched for a dominant innings victory, the Black Caps made them pay for the aggressive decision making to snatch a remarkable one-run victory in Wellington to level the series at 1-1.

This was only the fourth time in Test history a team had claimed victory after following-on, leaving many to wonder why England didn’t bat again in the third innings and ram home the advantage.

The critics have come out again to question the selection of Bethell at number 3- a player who has never made a professional century- though as bold decisions go, this could be one of Stokes’ safest.

Since making his international debut in September, the Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix left-hander has appeared right at home and taken to the elite level like a duck to water.

Grabbing the headlines with 20 runs off an Adam Zampa over at Cardiff, which is no mean feat at all, he carried on the blistering form of his debut series to star in the recent white-ball tour of the Caribbean- striking three half-centuries in the middle order across the ODI and T20I’s.

However, the colour of clothing and ball will change.

A first-class average of 25 definitely doesn’t leap off the page, but as the likes of Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick have demonstrated, performances in county cricket don’t prove everything. Bethell could be another fine example of someone who raises his level to match the opposition in front of him.

Plenty of people have shone at the lower level and never amounted to much donning the famous England shirt.

Whether the Bethell ‘experiment’ goes right or wrong could go a long way to deciding the winner of this series…