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Captain Ben Stokes was unable to bat because of a hamstring injury on Tuesday as England slumped to a 423-run loss to New Zealand before tea on the fourth day on the third cricket Test. Stokes strained his left hamstring while bowling on the third day and could not take the field as England was bowled out for 234 as it chased an impossible target of 658 for victory. New Zealand's winning margin matched its largest test win by runs of a 423-run win over Sri Lanka in 2018 and prevented England from completing a series whitewash. England had an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after winning the first test by eight wickets and the second by 323 runs. You can't fault any of the energies or efforts we put into this game, particularly in the field, Stokes said. It's obviously not ideal to end the tour on this note but we've come here against a New Zealand team which is very strong and full of confidence after beating India in India 3-0. So to come here and lift that trophy at the end ..
Harry Brook played the role of New Zealand's nemesis with flair on Friday, reaching his eighth test century as England finished in a strong position after the first day of the second test. Brook's fast-paced innings of 123 included a century from 91 balls and set the tempo of a day on which 346 runs were scored and 15 wickets fell. New Zealand finished in trouble at 86-5 in reply to England's 280, having lost Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindar, Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell before stumps. Tom Blundell was 6 not out and nightwatchman Will O'Rourke was unbeaten on 0. Williamson appeared typically solid until he was caught by wicketkeeper Ollie Pope from the bowling of Brydon Carse for 37. Carse had bowled Williamson when he was 20 only to be denied when replays showed he had over-stepped. Brook made the difference in the first test which England won by eight wickets, going to the crease at 45-3 and making 171 to deliver a commanding first-innings lead. On Friday he strod
England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith will miss the team's Test tour of the New Zealand over November and December because he will be on paternity leave for the birth of his first child. Jordan Cox will take the gloves for the tour and looks set to win his first Test cap during the three-match series. Batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell, 21, was called up to a Test squad for the first time, having made his international debut in the summer in T20 and ODI matches against Australia. The 16-man squad will be captained by Ben Stokes and play Tests in Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton. The first Test in Christchurch starts on November 28. England is coming off a 1-2 series loss in Pakistan. Squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
The England and Wales Cricket Board on Tuesday announced a three-Test tour to New Zealand starting at Christchurch on November 28. After the series opener at Hagley Oval, the tour will move to the North Island for tests in Wellington from December 6-10 and in Hamilton from December 14-18. The last time the Test teams met in February and March of last year, they split a two-match series after England was on the verge of a 2-0 victory when skipper Ben Stokes enforced the follow-on. New Zealand won by one run only the fourth team in history to win a Test after following on in the second Test after England won the first by 267 runs. The three matches at the end of this year form part of the World Test Championship, which New Zealand won in its inaugural edition before losing the title to Australia. India, which has won six of nine Tests in this edition, leads the WTC standings with Australia in second place and New Zealand in third. England is ninth ahead of home series against West
New Zealand's stand-in captain Tom Latham was delighted to have found a new hero in ton-up Rachin Ravindra as they began their World Cup campaign, obliterating champions England by 9 wickets here on Thursday. The 23-year-old Ravindra (123 not out) combined with senior pro Devon Conway (152 not out) to complete a mauling of England after their bowlers set it up with measly spells. "Obviously, a fantastic partnership between Rachin and Devon. From the 30-over mark onwards, to restrict them to 280 was fantastic," Latham said at the post-match presentation ceremony. Not done with praises for the centurion duo, Latham added, "Probably, the most pleasing thing was Devon and Rachin just reacted to what was being bowled. Rachin played a fantastic innings and was proud of him. Looking forward to getting around him tonight." Opting to field after winning the toss, New Zealand bowlers did well to restrict a flamboyant England line-up to 282 for 9 in the allotted 50 overs, and that was not los
There will be two World Cups being held simultaneously in India. The first one on days when Indian team plays and it will be even difficult to get hold of a ticket. Virat Kohli made it clear in his Instagram post that no one should ask him for tickets. The stands will be jam-packed and you will feel ODI cricket is alive and kicking. The other one is more stark in contrast like the opening game between current champions England and runners-up New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium, which saw the presence of barely 10,000 people at the start. By the time, the sun stopped beating down hard, it increased to around 15 to 17,000. The two teams, which played the greatest World Cup match during that epic final at the Lord's in 2019, perhaps wouldn't have visualised empty stands staring at them. Looking dapper in jet black suit, ICC's Global Ambassador Sachin Tendulkar walked in with the trophy but the greatest ODI batter of all time, even in retirement, wouldn't be used to this kind of .