England vs New Zealand, 2nd Test: Hosts elect to bat
England and New Zealand are locking horns in the second Test at Edgbaston. The two teams will be looking to gain an early edge in the final encounter after the series opener ended in a draw. England captain Joe Root has won the toss and elected to bat. Notably, Tom Latham is leading the Kiwis in place of injured Kane Williamson. Here is more.
Usually, the wicket at Edgbaston provides assistance to both batsmen and bowlers. The fast bowlers could be lethal here due to the seam movement and bounce. Considering this, the batters would aim to survive the first hour with the new ball. Meanwhile, the wicket could turn dry with high temperatures in England, thereby bringing spin into play as the match progresses.
As many as 18,000 spectators will be allowed for the final game of the series. The crowd, which makes up 70 percent of the stadium's capacity, will be allowed on each day of the Test. Notably, the move is a part of the UK government's pilot project to understand the challenges of allowing crowds at mass events amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
James Anderson has broken Alastair Cook's record for most England Test caps (161). This is Anderson's 162nd Test appearance for England. He (616) is set to overtake Anil Kumble (619) in terms of wickets, and six shy of completing 1,000 First-class scalps. Meanwhile, Latham requires 12 more to complete 4,000 runs in Test cricket. Boult is on the brink of completing 500 international wickets.
Latham is the make-shift captain in place of Williamson, who was earlier ruled out due to elbow issues. "It's well documented that Kane's personality and calm nature is vital to this group. He's very relaxed, he doesn't get too high or too low, he's a wonderful leader, which we've seen throughout his captaincy career. He certainly will be missed," Latham stated before the match.
New Zealand (Playing XI): Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Will Young, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wicket-keeper), Daryl Mitchell, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel, and Trent Boult. England (Playing XI): Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root (captain), Ollie Pope, Daniel Lawrence, James Bracey (wicket-keeper), Olly Stone, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, and James Anderson.
