New Zealand vs West Indies, 2nd Test: Match Preview And Prediction – West Indies Tour Of New Zealand 2020-21

The second or last Test of the two-match Test series between the hosts New Zealand and the visitors West Indies will begin on this Friday (11th December), which Basin Reserve (Wellington) will host.

Seddon Park (Hamilton) hosted the opening match of this series, where the hosts won by an innings and 134 runs. While a draw is enough for the hosts to secure this series, who are surely targeting for another victory, it will be the must win game for the visitors to save this Test series.

New Zealand vs West Indies, 2nd Test: Match Preview

New Zealand

Though the captain Kane Williamson will miss this match as he has left the Kiwi team to be with his wife for birth of their child, the hosts are enough strong side for the second and final Test of this series. However, it is true that they will miss their best batsman, who scored 251 runs in the last Test.

The stand-in captain Tom Latham, experienced Ross Taylor, wicket-keeper batsman Tom Blundell etc are the other big names in this batting line-up. They have the strong pace-bowling side as Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner – this pace-bowling side can destroy any batting line-up.

Full Squad

Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (C), Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Will Young

Latest form in Test cricket (Oldest to Newest): Lost, Lost, Won, Won and Won

West Indies

The Caribbean players mostly disappointed in the first Test. Apart from their second-innings centurion Jermaine Blackwood and tail-ender Alzarri Joseph (scored 86 runs in their second innings), all others failed to score good runs.

Darren Bravo, who batted incredibly in the warm-up games in this tour by scoring 135 an 93 runs, failed to bat for a long time in the first Test as he scored 9 and 12 runs. While the opener Kraigg Brathwaite scored a double-century (246) in the second warm-up game in this tour, the right-handed batsman scored 21 and 10 runs in the Hamilton Test.

The Caribbean bowlers failed to stop the New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, and the hosts captain took away that game. Also, the visiting bowlers failed to break the partnerships quickly.

Though the home captain will miss the second Test, the Caribbean players need to show their positive intent in this upcoming match to set up a challenging fight.

Full Squad

Jason Holder (C), Roston Chase (vc), Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua DaSilva, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Chemar Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Keemo Paul.

Stand-by: Nkrumah Bonner, Preston McSween

Latest form in Test cricket (Oldest to Newest): Won, Won, Lost, Lost and Lost

New Zealand vs West Indies, 2nd Test: Match Prediction

Despite their captain Kane Williamson will miss this Test, the hosts New Zealand are still a strong Test side, who haven’t suffered a home Test defeat in their last 14 home Tests, since March 2017 (won 10 Tests, drew 4 Tests). So, the visitors still have to put a strong tough fight to save this series.