Who will win New Zealand vs England, 1st Test 2019?
The first of two test matches between New Zealand and England to conclude this tour takes place at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval – the first test match at the venue, the ninth in New Zealand to host one. The first test takes place from November 21-25 and gets underway at 11:00 local time each day.
The series is not part of the ICC World Test Championship, and England could have a couple of new faces as a result – Dom Sibley is expected to make his England debut opening the batting, while Zak Crawley could also win his first test cap after impressing in the warm-up match.
New Zealand, meanwhile, are gearing up for their three-match series with Australia and welcome back captain Kane Williamson after he was rested for the T20i series. This is their first test series since having to come from behind to tie their most recent one with Sri Lanka. The skewed nature of allocating points in the ICC World Test Championship means they sit four points ahead of England, however, despite both having drawn their only series in the competition so far.
NZ vs ENG, 1st Test: Where to watch/Live streaming
TV channels: Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sport NZ, Star Sports, SuperSport, Fox Sports, Willow TV, Gazi TV
Live streaming: Sky Go, Hotstar, Now TV
NZ vs ENG Toss Prediction
England only won the toss once during the Ashes series so they are due this one, and they may elect to let their pacemen get first crack at the Bay Oval wicket.
NZ vs ENG Weather Report
While there will be a little humidity towards the evening, the forecast for Mount Maunganui is superb – the last three days especially will be particularly clear, with only a very minimal chance of rain.
NZ vs ENG Pitch Condition
This will be the first test match to be played at the Bay Oval, but the pitch in previous high-profile one-day matches has favoured pace bowlers.
Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds and match prediction for New Zealand vs England, 1st Test 2019...
New Zealand Team News & Playing 11
NZ Team News
Lockie Ferguson could be set for his test debut as New Zealand look to exploit his pace. There will be at least two changes from the final test with Sri Lanka, with neither William Somerville nor Ajaz Patel in the squad. Ferguson and Mitchell Santner could be the men to come in, but Matt Henry is another pace-bowling option. After being rested for the T20i series, Kane Williamson is back to lead the team.
NZ Key Players
Tom Latham: Hit 154 in New Zealand’s most recent test innings against Sri Lanka and now has 1,026 runs in his last ten test matches. He also hit a double-century for Canterbury at the end of last month.
Kane Williamson: Ranked third in the ICC test batting rankings, the New Zealand captain averages 52.22 in test matches, having hit 20 centuries and 30 half-centuries in his test career.
Trent Boult: Took eight wickets in the series with Sri Lanka to move to 254 wickets in 63 test matches. He is sixth in the current ICC test-match rankings.
NZ Team Form
New Zealand drew their most recent test series with Sri Lanka, coming from behind after a six-wicket defeat in the first test. In the second test, Tim Southee and Trent Boult took seven first-innings wicket between them as they bowed Sri Lanka out for 244, before Tom Latham replied with 154 and BJ Watling 105* in a total of 431/6 declared. The Black Caps then bowled Sri Lanka out for just 122.
New Zealand Predicted Playing 11
Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson
England Team News & Playing 11
ENG Team News
Dominic Sibley is set to open the batting on his test debut, alongside Rory Burns, and he could be joined by another debutant in the England side with Zak Crawley having impressed in the warm-up matches. Ollie Pope is set to return at number six.
ENG Key Players
Jofra Archer: After a fine start to his test-match career, taking 22 wickets in four matches in the Ashes – including two six-wicket hauls – the paceman has been in good form in the warm-up games too.
Ben Stokes: England’s World Cup final hero against New Zealand and then Ashes hero too, hitting two test centuries – including his stunning match-winning effort at Headingley.
Joe Root: Scored four half-centuries in the Ashes series without turning any into a hundred. Questions remain about his conversion rate, and yet he still averages 47.91 having hit more than 7,000 test runs.
ENG Team Form
This is England’s first test series since the Ashes, which finished 2-2 and saw Australia retain the urn. Ben Stokes’ stunning unbeaten century in an unlikely one-wicket in the third test kept the series alive, but Steve Smith’s superb batting form ultimately proved too much. England restored pride in the final test at the Oval, however – Jofra Archer taking six first-innings wicket, and Stuart Broad and Jack Leach sharing eight between them in the second innings to seal a 135-run win.
England Predicted Playing 11
Dominic Sibley, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach
New Zealand vs England Head to Head
England were bowled out for 58 in their first innings of their most recent test series in New Zealand in March 2018. Trent Boult and Tim Southee took all ten wickets between them, before centuries from Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls took the game away from England – New Zealand winning by an innings and 49 runs. Incredibly, in the second test, Boult and Southee took all ten first-innings wickets again but England this time posted 307. James Anderson and Stuart Broad replied in kind, sharing ten wickets as New Zealand were all out for 278, but after setting the hosts 382 to win in the second innings, England could only pick up eight wickets. The match was drawn and New Zealand won the series. England now have 48 wins and New Zealand 45 in the 103 previous tests between them.
NZ vs ENG Head to Head Stats
Matches Played |
NZ Won |
ENG Won |
Tie |
Draw |
103 |
45 |
48 |
0 |
10 |
New Zealand vs England Betting Odds
New Zealand are narrow favourites to win this opening test but England’s warm-up form has been positive and this could go either way.
NZ Bet365 Odds
- NZ to Win the Match: New Zealand are narrow favourites at 2.20 to win the first test with Bet365.
- NZ Top Batsman: Tom Latham hit a 150 in New Zealand’s most recent test innings and he is 4.33 to be their top batsman in the first innings of this test with Bet365. Kane Williamson is 3.40 favourite, while Ross Taylor is 4.50 with Bet365. Henry Nicholls can be backed at 6.00 and BJ Watling, after his century last time out, is 11.00.
- NZ Top Bowler: The first innings of both tests of England’s last test series in New Zealand saw Trent Boult and Tim Southee take all ten wickets between them. Boult is 3.50 with Bet365 to be their top first innings bowler, while Southee is 4.00. Lockie Ferguson is 4.50 ahead of a prospective debut, while Mitchell Santner is 6.00.
ENG Bet365 Odds
- ENG to Win the Match: England are 2.37 to win the first test with Bet365.
- ENG Top Batsman: Joe Root is 4.00 to be England’s top team batsman in the first inning with Bet365, while openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley are 5.00 and 6.00 respectively. Zak Crawley is 6.00 after his century in the warm-up match, while Ben Stokes is 7.50 and Jos Buttler 8.00.
- ENG Top Bowler: Jofra Archer was in fine form during the Ashes and he is 3.50 to be England’s top bowler in the first innings. Stuart Broad is 4.00, while Chris Woakes can be backed at 4.50 and Sam Curran at 5.00 – only one of those two might play, however. Jack Leach is 5.50 and Stokes is 6.00.
NZ Betway Odds
- NZ to Win the Match: New Zealand are 2.10 favourites to win the first test with Betway.
- NZ Top Batsman: Kane Williamson is favourite with Betway too to be New Zealand’s top first innings batsman. The captain is 3.60, while in-form Tom Latham is 4.50 and Ross Taylor can be backed at 5.00. Henry Nicholls is 6.00 and BJ Watling 9.00.
- NZ Top Bowler: Trent Boult is 3.25 to be New Zealand’s top first innings bowler, while partner in crime Tim Southee is 4.00 and Lockie Ferguson can be backed at 4.50. Mitchell Santner is 6.00.
ENG Betway Odds
- ENG to Win the Match: England can be backed at 2.25 to win the first test with Betway.
- ENG Top Batsman: Joe Root is comfortable favourite to be England’ top first innings batsman with Betway, at 3.75. Rory Burns is 5.00 while potential new opening partner Dominic Sibley is 6.00. Ben Stokes is 7.00 while another potential debutant, Zak Crawley, is 7.50 and Jos Buttler is 8.50.
- ENG Top Bowler: In-form Jofra Archer is 3.25 favourite to be England’s top first-innings bowler, while Stuart Broad is 4.00. Both Sam Curran and Chris Woakes are 4.50, though they look to be competing for the same place. Jack Leach can be backed at 5.50.
🏆 New Zealand vs England Prediction
England are outsiders for this test but warm-up form has been encouraging. If they can see off Southee and Boult, they can upset the odds too.
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