New Zealand's wicketkeeper BJ Watling is replaced with Brendon McCullum. The former was barred from playing the second Test at Headingley due to injury. Watling injured his left knee trying to run out Joe Root with a dive. He left the field and meanwhile speculation started over who would take the gloves at Headlingey. On the other hand, the latter cherished his three year old dream to play Test cricket.
McCullum did not bat during England's second innings at Lord's on day three. Apparently, Watling came through practice on Wednesday reasonably well to most observers. It raised the question whether New Zealand observed his bruised knee as an injury of convenience after what McCullum himself illustrated as their "hour of madness" i.e. the crumple to 68 all out as England claimed an abrupt victory in the commencing Test at Lord’s.
Watling's absence allowed New Zealand to usher Martin Guptill who has extensive experience in English conditions like Derbyshire. As an extra batsman at No. 6, instead of an opener in place of Peter Fulton, his tour of England has brought 34 runs in five knocks till date.
Captain, New Zealand's most aggressive batsman, wicketkeeper McCullum will have a lot of work to do in the second Test which begins in Leeds on Friday. All work and back complaint will land him under strain when he returns for the wicket-keeping role. McCullum confirmed that he would only keep wicket for New Zealand in limited-overs cricket after the IPL in 2010. Gareth Hopkins deputized and in 24 consecutive Tests, the role has passed between Reece Young, Hopkins, Watling and Kruger van Wyk in New Zealand's upcoming Test against India in Ahmedabad. Watling is the exclusive one to suggest that he might make a long-term go of it and he can anticipate return after this series.
Pressure on McCullum make it almost inevitable that former New Zealand captain Dan Vettori will make his Test reappear for the first time after almost a year's absence with Achilles trouble. An "ideas" captain McCullum, opts to keep lines of communication open with his bowlers. However he feels less need for endless dashes up and down the pitch in the middle of an over in case he sees the familiar figure of Vettori fielding.
Neil Wagner is one of the New Zealand bowlers to recognize that advantage. He is garrulous enough to disclose to the media that Vettori would definitely get the final place ahead of Doug Bracewell and an all-seam assault. Recently, the dependence on pace bowling alone should be resisted because the pitches at Headingley can display extremes of character and are probably to go flat if the clouds lift. It has been observed that the Yorkshire legspinner Adil Rashid picked five wickets in the second match of the season at Headingley, so it should not be assumed that a spinner has no role here.
Wagner expected that Brendon's back has been playing up a bit, but he is going to shingle his teeth and do a job for the team-that's just the sort of guy Brendon is. He added that there is going to be quite a speck of running up and down because he opts to talk to the bowlers about plans but having the opportunity might have Dan at mid-on and mid-off and pick his brains and pass on messages which will be pretty awesome.
Vettori will be an exact replacement for his fellow left-arm spinner Bruce Martin, who has quitted the tour because of a calf injury which he picked up at Lord's. A veteran of 112 Tests Vettori bowled for half-an-hour, had a bat against some weird balls and grabbed some high catches on a middling Leeds morning--dry and largely overcast. New Zealand's coach Mike Hesson then rejected requests to speak to him, leaving behind the bowling coach Shane Bond to imply that Vettori himself would be trusted to make the call on his fitness.
Bond asserted that he's the sort of guy who will know whether he can do it or not. He added that he has got that experience and he knows how he is going physically. Either way he is sure that the right decision will be made.
Vettori's concluding Test came against West Indies at Antigua in July last year. After an inactive time in the IPL as well as a long-haul flight from New Zealand could not change the feeling that he was eager to play again. Vettori would add up to an attack that has come nearer to break England's batting on numerous occasions over the four Tests stretching back to March. He admitted that they had come close a couple of times so it has been a bit frustrating for them as a bowling unit. They got themselves into a perfect position at Lord’s and then two guys came out with serious class and bowled outstandingly well. He described that Jonny Bairstow at the moment is attempting to find his feet. Nick Compton played a bit of an aimless shot during the first innings after showing a little patience while Matt Prior didn't get a run in two innings. There is stuff they can flourish on.
