Richard Mann looks ahead to the second Test match between New Zealand and England as Joe Root's side bid to end their frustrating winter with a much-needed win.
Recommended bets: New Zealand v England, second Test
1pt win Neil Wagner Top New Zealand first innings bowler at 7/2
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Just in case you’d forgotten, England are currently playing a Test match series in New Zealand.
The best part of 7,000 miles from South Africa and the ball-tampering scandal that has engulfed cricket, Joe Root and his England side have plenty of problems of their own and head to Christchurch on Thursday desperately needing a victory to end their dreadful winter on a high.
England were routed in the first Test at Eden Park, losing by an innings and 49 runs having been bundled out for 58 on day one.
As was the case in the preceding Ashes series, England’s batting wasn’t up to the mark when coming up against high-class seam bowling with Trent Boult and Tim Southee running riot, taking six and four wickets respectively in the first innings.
Boult enjoyed a particularly impressive game, his three wickets in the second innings meaning he finished with figures of 9-99 in the match and he left Root battered and bruised having given him a real working over before dismissing the England captain late on day four.
Root was a number of England players to fight hard in the second innings as the visitors tried to cling on for a draw.
Root, Mark Stoneman, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes all made fifties second time around but once again, none were able to go on and take their innings to three figures, the tourists eventually being bowled out in the final session.
The fact England were even in with a chance of drawing the game owed plenty to the heavy rainfall that washed out the majority of day three as New Zealand racked up 427-8 thanks to hundreds from Henry Nicholls and Kane Williamson.
As much as England’s battling will cause major concerns for Root and coach Trevor Bayliss, the bowling attack continues to lean heavily on James Anderson and the worry is that he might soon buckle under the strain.
Anderson was the only English bowler to average under 30 with the ball in the Ashes, his 17 wickets coming at 27.82, and he delivered more overs than any other seamer on either side.
He found support in woefully short supply, though, and was once again the pick of the bowlers in Auckland.
Stuart Broad passed 400 test wickets in the first Test – a wonderful achievement for a wonderful bowler – and he looked like he was close to recapturing his best form.
However, the rest of the attack - made up of Woakes, Craig Overton and Moeen Ali - only managed two wickets between them from 75 overs and Root needs more potency from those names if Anderson and Broad aren’t to be forced to bowl too many overs and risk being burnt out before their sell-by dates.
Mark Wood must be close to a recall on Thursday. England desperately need some variety in their attack and Wood’s skiddy trajectory and sharp pace would certainly offer that.
He looked a yard short of his optimum speed in the recent ODI series but even so, he is something different from the rest of the attack and deserves an opportunity, as does Somerset’s Jack Leach.
Leach has been the standout spinner in County Cricket for the last two years and he ended last season with 51 wickets at 25.78.
He impressed with the Lions this winter and while he is still some way from being the finished article, England will surely feel the temptation to go with him here.
Another option for the selectors is to pick an extra batsman, namely James Vince, but given the amount of bowling Anderson and Broad were forced to get through in the first Test, the England management will be wary of placing any extra burden on their shoulders.
While England are under pressure to finish their winter's work with a win, New Zealand will be much more content about their recent performances having come into this series on the back of a comfortable 2-0 defeat of the West Indies in December.
As alluded to in the series preview here, the hosts have a much more settled look to them and odds of 6/4 about them completing a 2-0 series win in Christchurch seem fair.
However, given New Zealand were advised to win the series at 5/2 last week, we are happy to let that bet run and a wager in the top New Zealand first innings bowler market is preferred.
Neil Wagner wasn’t even required in the first innings in Eden Park, such was Boult and Southee’s dominance over England's batting, but he picked up three crucial wickets in the second dig.
The aggressive left-armer has become a crucial park of this New Zealand attack, taking 39 wickets at 25.48 since the start of 2017, and his hostile approach could see him pick up enough wickets to reward backers at 7/2.
Posted at 1300 GMT on 27/03/18.
