CT 2017, Match 6, ENG vs NZ – New Zealand Predicted XI

New Zealand began their campaign on a bright note as they almost defeated Australia in the first encounter. The rain had its say in the match as it curtailed the match to 46 overs per side. The Black Caps batted first after winning the toss and scored 291 runs and were dismissed one over short of the scheduled quota. The skipper Kane Williamson scored a classy hundred that gave them the competitive total.

The fast bowlers were dominant from the outset and ruffled the feathers of the Australian batsmen. Trent Boult removed the dangerous David Warner cheaply and Adam Milne accounted for the wickets of Aaron Finch and Moises Henriques. The Aussies were reeling at 53/3 after 9 overs just when the rain gods came to their rescue. A heavy shower interrupted the game and didn’t allow any further play.

The match had to be abandoned and both the teams shared a point each. New Zealand would feel hard done by the weather as they were the firm favorites to win the game from that situation. At the end, they had to be content with one point. They would have been in the perfect position to qualify for the semi-finals but now have a stern task ahead.

They’ll face the hosts for their second match at Cardiff on Tuesday. England had made the perfect start after defeating Bangladesh in the first match and are oozing with confidence in colored clothing. It’s not going to be easy for the Kiwis to get the better of the strong English side but they’ll take heart from the previous performance against Australia. It seems unlikely that they’ll tinker with the playing line-up.

Let’s take a look at the Predicted XI of New Zealand for their clash against England:

Openers (Martin Guptill and Luke Ronchi)

Martin Guptill has been an integral part of New Zealand’s ODI team for a number of years. A lot has been dependent on him when it comes to the outcomes of the team’s matches. He got off to a decent start against Australia but threw that away after scoring 26 off 22 balls. The right-hander needs to assume more responsibility if the team has any chance of going forward in the tournament.

Luke Ronchi has been in a superb form in the country. He had scored 66 runs against India in the warm-up match and was the only batsman who looked comfortable against the Indian bowling line-up. In the previous match too, he made 65 off just 43 balls and provided the perfect platform for the middle-order.

Middle Order (Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Neil Broom)

The Kiwi skipper played a magnificent hand against Australia as he scored 100 runs off 97 balls. It was his knock that provided the momentum to the innings. It was full of class and flare that a usual Williamson innings possess. Once more, his wicket will be extremely crucial for the opposition.

Ross Taylor has been around the international circuit for a long time and is the most experienced batsman in the side. He scored 46 runs in the last game and shared a stand of 99 runs with Williamson. But the question lies in his approach whether he can up the ante if required. Batting at number 4 more often than not demands you to play till the end and his hitting abilities will be tested.

Neil Broom hasn’t had a great time in England so far as he failed to make an impact in the warm-up matches. He scored just 14 runs against Australia. The number 5 position is extremely crucial in ODIs and he needs to shoulder more liability.

All-rounder (James Neesham, Corey Anderson and Mitchell Santner)

The Kiwi side is always known to be possessing quality all-rounders it the squad. Here as well, they have 3 world-class players in the XI. James Neesham can bowl medium pace and can strike the ball big. Similar is the case with Corey Anderson who will give you 6-7 overs consistently and can use the long handle to hit the big shots.

Mitchell Santner has been mighty impressive in his short career. He is accurate with his left-arm spin and will have a big role to play. The pitch might not offer much assistance for him but he needs to keep a check on the run scoring. With his certain skills with the bat, he is a useful prospect in the ODI format.

Bowlers (Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Adam Milne)

The pace trio of Tim Southe, Trent Boult and Adam Milne is as good as any other side in the competition. Tim Southee can consistently clock over 140 clicks and his out-swingers to the right-handers are pretty difficult to play for the batsmen. Trent Boult is amongst the best swing bowlers in the world and under the helpful conditions, he will be a force to reckon with.

If the duo of Southee and Boult don’t do it for you, Adam Milne will surely stand up. He is tall and balls at a great pace which makes it extremely tough for the batsmen. He bowled a magnificent spell against Australia and now against England, the onus will be on him to put the strong batting line-up on the back foot.