Henry, Phillips ruled out of New Zealand's series decider against England due to injuries
Nottingham, June 25
In a major blow to New Zealand, senior pacer Matt Henry and batting all-rounder Glenn Phillips have been ruled out of their crucial series-deciding Test match against England at Trent Bridge due to various injuries.
Henry, who grabbed the top spot in the ICC Men's Test rankings and claimed 11 wickets in a 253-run win in the second Test at The Oval, will miss out due to a calf injury, while Phillips has been sidelined with a side strain injury.
"Matt Henry will miss the third test against England at Trent Bridge due to a calf injury. Henry felt pain during the second Test at the Oval, and subsequent scans on his left calf revealed a low-grade muscle strain. Initial assessment suggests a recovery time of two to four weeks.
"Glenn Phillips will miss the third Test against England at Trent Bridge due to a side strain injury. Phillips felt side pain during the second Test at The Oval. Further assessment will determine Phillips' return-to-play timeline," said a statement from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Thursday, 15 minutes ahead of toss time.
With the duo out and Kyle Jamieson rested due to workload management after successive back stress fractures, New Zealand have included Mitchell Santner, Blair Tickner, and Ben Sears, who was the travelling reserve, in their playing eleven for the clash against England, where they have elected to bat first.
England, meanwhile, have got back skipper Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson after they missed the second Test due to an ECB investigation into a nightclub incident following a team curfew breach post the 115-run win at Lord's.
Stokes and Atkinson have since been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Cricket Regulator. Wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith returns to the England lineup after paternity leave, while specialist off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has also been picked.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The way New Zealand Cricket manages player injuries is a lesson for our BCCI. They chose to rest Jamieson for workload management and now two more key players are out. Maybe our Indian pacers could learn from this cautious approach instead of being rushed back every other series.
Phillips being out is a big loss too - his part-time off-spin and electric fielding always add value. But I'm curious to see how Santner performs in English conditions. He's been a bit inconsistent lately, but when he's on song, he can be a real handful. Also, Ben Stokes is back, so England will be more confident.
I must say, the ECB's handling of the Stokes-Atkinson nightclub incident has been a complete mess. First they drag it out for days, then they clear them just before the match. These are professional athletes, not schoolchildren. Good to see Jamie Smith back though - he's been a solid addition to the English batting lineup.
As an Indian cricket fan, this Test series has been a treat to watch. Two contrasting teams fighting hard - England with their aggressive Bazball and New Zealand with their resilient approach. Henry's absence will definitely tilt the balance, but I hope Blair Tickner gets a chance to shine. He's been waiting in the wings for too long. 🏏🇳🇿
It's a real shame for Phillips especially. He's worked so hard on his batting and bowling to become a genuine all-rounder. But if there's any team that can overcome injuries, it's this New Zealand side - they've
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