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Devon Conway will miss New Zealand’s third and final Test against England due to the impending birth of his first child. The opener will stay in Wellington, where the Black Caps suffered a series-losing 323-run defeat in the second Test, to be with his family. In his place, Auckland Aces batter Mark Chapman has been […]
Devon Conway will miss New Zealand’s third and final Test against England due to the impending birth of his first child. The opener will stay in Wellington, where the Black Caps suffered a series-losing 323-run defeat in the second Test, to be with his family. In his place, Auckland Aces batter Mark Chapman has been added to the squad.
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead expressed his excitement for Conway and his wife, Kim, and emphasized the importance of family in their environment. Chapman, who recently scored an impressive 276 in the Plunket Shield after being part of the Test squad in India, is seen as a strong replacement option.
Conway’s absence opens the door for Will Young to return to the XI. Young, who was named player of the series on the historic tour of India last month with 244 runs at 48.40, has been a spectator during New Zealand’s recent struggles. Kane Williamson’s comeback from a hamstring injury, which had kept him out of the India series, has cemented his position as the team’s top run-scorer with two half-centuries and 195 runs at 48.75. However, other top-order batsmen, especially Conway, have struggled, with Conway’s series average now at a low 5.25 following his five-ball duck in the second Test.
Black Caps captain Tom Latham remained tight-lipped about potential changes for the upcoming match at Seddon Park. The squad is set to reconvene in Hamilton on Wednesday to assess conditions at the venue and decide on team adjustments, after going unchanged for the first two Tests.
Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner may come into consideration, given the flat pitches typically seen at Seddon Park. Meanwhile, Tim Southee, who will retire from Test cricket after the series, is expected to make his farewell appearance at his home ground despite struggling in the series with just four wickets at an average of 61.50.
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A dramatic batting comeback ended West Indies’ 11-match ODI losing streak against Bangladesh, as they secured a five-wicket victory in St Kitts. Sherfane Rutherford’s maiden ODI century was pivotal, guiding West Indies to chase down a target of 295 and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Rutherford’s explosive 113 off 80 balls turned the momentum in their favor after a sluggish start. At one point, West Indies needed 161 runs from 114 balls, but they managed to reach their target with 14 balls to spare, showcasing a remarkable recovery.
Rutherford, who had been hit on his helmet twice during his innings, brought up his century in the 47th over when Bangladesh conceded six runs through overthrows. He celebrated the milestone in style, hitting consecutive sixes off Soumya Sarkar over long-off and midwicket. Soon after, he was dismissed for 124 when he edged a shot to short third man, where Nahid Rana took a well-judged catch. By then, West Indies needed just seven runs to win.
Rutherford’s innings was an explosive display of power, as he struck seven fours and eight sixes, advancing from 19 off 29 balls in the 32nd over to an impressive 94 runs off just 51 balls. This innings marked his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs, joining an elite group of West Indians—Gordon Greenidge, Chris Gayle, and Shai Hope, who hold the record for six in a row.
His 99-run stand with captain Hope was pivotal. Hope, who came in at 27 for 2, made a solid 86 off 88 balls. Rutherford’s partnership with Justin Greaves added a further 95 runs off just 57 balls for the fifth wicket. Greaves sealed the win, remaining unbeaten on 41 from 31 balls with five boundaries.
West Indies had struggled for much of the first half of their chase. They lost Brandon King and Evin Lewis in the opening powerplay, facing difficulties against Bangladesh’s fast-bowling trio. Tanzim Hasan Sakib dismissed King lbw for 9 off 17 balls when King attempted to pull a ball that wasn’t short enough. In the following over, Nahid Rana bowled Lewis with a delivery clocked at 148.9 kph, striking his back pad in front of the stumps. It was left to Hope and Keacy Carty to stabilize the innings and set the stage for the remarkable turnaround.
West Indies‘ third-wicket partnership added 67 runs in 13.3 overs, with Carty contributing a measured 21 off 37 balls. His innings ended in disappointing fashion when Rishad Hossain’s short ball caught him at short midwicket, a setback for the in-form West Indies batter.
During this phase, the home side’s scoring rate dropped, pushing the required run rate to eight per over with 21 overs still left in the chase. The momentum shifted when Hope smashed a six off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, breaking a 28-ball boundary drought. This aggressive stroke sparked a series of scoring opportunities as Rutherford followed up with a four and a six off Mehidy in the 32nd over, then struck a boundary off Taskin in the 33rd. Hope continued his assault, dispatching Rishad for consecutive sixes down the ground, while Rutherford, who had struggled with short deliveries earlier, pulled Rana for a six. Rutherford reached his fifty in the 36th over.
Bangladesh found hope when Mehidy caught Hope at deep midwicket, ending a 99-run fourth-wicket partnership that had given West Indies crucial momentum. Greaves kept the chase alive with three consecutive fours in the next few overs, maintaining pressure on the bowlers.
Rutherford, in fine form, hit his third six off Tanzim and followed it with a fourth off Mehidy in the next over, achieving his highest ODI score by the 43rd over with two sixes off Taskin. Greaves then slashed Tanzim through the covers for a boundary, bringing the required rate down to a manageable run-a-ball, with only 37 runs needed.
Bangladesh’s innings were built on three crucial partnerships that steered their total. They began with a brisk pace, but Soumya Sarkar’s innings came to an end in the fifth over. Fresh from being named Player of the Tournament in the GSL, Soumya hit Alzarri Joseph for back-to-back fours before falling to a catch behind the stumps. Litton Das soon followed, dismissed in similar fashion by Romario Shepherd.
Tanzid Hasan, however, made an immediate impact, smashing a straight six and three boundaries. He forged a 79-run third-wicket partnership with captain Mehidy Hasan, who was fortunate to survive two dropped chances: Carty missed him on 1 and 31. Mehidy capitalized on his luck and top-scored with 74 runs. Tanzid looked the more dominant partner, hitting two more sixes over long-off and finding boundaries all around the ground.
Against the run of play, Tanzid fell in the 24th over, caught at point by Carty off Alzarri Joseph’s bowling. He departed for a run-a-ball 60, disappointed at missing out on a bigger score. Mehidy, meanwhile, continued to keep the scoreboard ticking alongside Afif Hossain. Their fourth-wicket stand produced 54 runs before Shepherd claimed Afif on the leg-side boundary.
Mehidy’s innings came to an end in the 38th over, when he mistimed a shot off Jayden Seales and was caught at extra cover by Rutherford. He made 74 off 101 balls, hitting six fours and an elegant whipped six over fine-leg.
Mehidy’s efforts set the stage for a strong finish from Jaker Ali and Mahmudullah. Their sixth-wicket partnership added 96 runs, 84 of which came in the last 10 overs. Mahmudullah played an explosive innings, striking three sixes and as many fours to remain unbeaten on 50 from just 44 balls. Jaker also contributed with three sixes, including one that sailed out of the stadium, and made 48 off 40 balls. He fell to Shepherd on the penultimate ball, with the bowler finishing with three wickets. Jaker and Mahmudullah hit all six of their sixes in the final 6.3 overs, propelling Bangladesh to a competitive total.
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