ENG VS NZ: Three New Zealand Players Test Covid Positive
Three BLACKCAPS players have been placed in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 on the morning of the tour’s first match against Sussex in Brighton.
After producing positive Rapid Antigen Tests on Friday morning, Henry Nicholls, Blair Tickner, and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen have begun a five-day hotel room isolation.
The remaining members of the tour party tested negative this morning and will be monitored and tested as needed.
The Warm-up Match To Be Played As Per Schedule
The four-day warm-up game will take place as scheduled. The New Zealand cricket team is in England to play three Test matches, which will be part of the ICC World Test Championship 2021–2023. Between the second and third Tests, England will play three One Day International (ODI) matches at Amstelveen against the Netherlands.
Joe Root resigned as England’s Test captain in April 2022, following the team’s tour of the West Indies. The ECB picked Ben Stokes as Root’s successor later that month. For the tour, New Zealand nominated a twenty-player extended squad, which is set to be cut to 15 for the first Test match.
England will have a new captain and a new coach in the form of Brendon McCullum who just got done with his assignment at the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders. New Zealand on the other hand would be hoping that their captain, Kane Williamson finds some form before the Test series as since his return to professional cricket in IPL he has had abysmal returns with the bat.
England Squad:
Ben Stokes (c), Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Ben Foakes (wk), Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jack Leach, Matthew Potts.
