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06/17 05:19 CDT England bowling first against New Zealand on damp Oval pitch in
2nd test
England bowling first against New Zealand on damp Oval pitch in 2nd test
LONDON (AP) --- England chose to bowl first against New Zealand in The Oval
test on Wednesday.
Joe Root won the toss in his first test as captain in four years, and
predictably opted to exploit damp conditions after the toss was delayed for 30
minutes by a wet outfield with the bad weather clearing.
England can clinch the three-match series after winning the first test at
Lord's by 115 runs.
England completed its team on Tuesday with three debutants among five changes,
plus Root as interim skipper after Ben Stokes was dropped for disciplinary
reasons.
Jamie Smith was confirmed as missing the match because of the birth of his
second child early Tuesday, thereby introducing Somerset wicketkeeper James
Rew. Rew was first named in the test squad last year and has been a consistent
scorer in the County Championship.
He'll bat at No. 6, followed by fellow debutant, Essex batter Jordan Cox. Cox
and uncapped Hampshire quick Sonny Baker replaced Stokes and Gus Atkinson after
they were dropped for breaking the midnight curfew while celebrating the Lord's
victory.
Fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Matthew Fisher were brought in after Lord's
player of the match Ollie Robinson was injured and spinner Shoaib Bashir was
left out after not being bowled.
New Zealand great Kane Williamson surprisingly retired last week in mid-series,
ending a prolific 16-year international career. He was replaced at No. 3 in the
order by Henry Nicholls, whose 58th and last test was last August in Zimbabwe,
where he scored 150 not out.
That was the Kiwis' only change as pacer Matt Henry passed a fitness test. He
suffered back spasms on day one at Lord's that reduced his effectiveness.
___
Lineups:
England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (captain), Harry
Brook, James Rew, Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Sonny
Baker.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Rachin
Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle
Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
