With the opening match of the series in Christchurch washed out, both New Zealand national cricket team and England cricket team come into Game 2 on even terms. New Zealand will be keen to finally get something going at home, while England will want to build on what glimpses they provided despite the rain stoppage. The stage is set for a fresh kick-off.
New Zealand vs England 2nd T20
Christchurch, Monday October 20th, 5.15pm (AEDT)
New Zealand
Although New Zealand did not get the chance to bat in Game 1, their bowlers started well, restricting England to 153 for 6 in 20 overs. Six different bowlers claimed a wicket, showing the attack had good variety and discipline despite the shortened contest. The return of key players like Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra gives the squad extra balance, bolstering both the spin department and the middle order.
Batting wise, New Zealand have yet to test themselves this series, but the green-tinged Christchurch surface in Game 1 offered early movement and challenged batters. They will want their top order, especially the likes of Tim Robinson and Ravindra, to provide a solid platform so their bowlers’ early breakthroughs can be maximised.
New Zealand Predicted XI: Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
England
England managed to post 153 for 6 in their 20 overs despite early struggles, with Sam Curran producing an unbeaten 49 off 35 balls to rescue the innings. Their top order looked shaky on the tricky surface, falling to 81 for 5 at one stage, but the middle and lower order showed depth and resilience, which bodes well for the rest of the series.
Their bowling remains a question though. While New Zealand’s attack chipped away at wickets in Game 1, England will hope their bowlers can maintain pressure on a surface that should play similar once again in Christchurch. If England’s batting fires again and their top order adjusts quickly to the conditions, they will be a serious threat.
England Predicted XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Jordan Cox, Brydon CarseLiam Dawson, Luke Wood, Adil Rashid
Match Prediction
With the first match washed out, we essentially have a blank canvas and a fresh opportunity for both sides. New Zealand’s home conditions and the return of experienced players give them a slight edge if they can execute from the start. If they get a strong start with the bat and their bowlers strike early as they did in Game 1, they look well placed to level the series.
England are dangerous and have shown resilience, particularly through Curran’s innings, but they will need to handle the local conditions better and avoid the early wobble that nearly cost them in Christchurch. The tip is for New Zealand to win Game 2, using home familiarity and the momentum of a disciplined bowling display to bounce ahead in the series.
Player Prop
We are running back our G1 player prop on Monday night given New Zealand didn't get the chance to bat and we didn't get to see Seifert in action.
Tim Seifert has been a standout for New Zealand in T20s over the last year or so. The No.7 ranked T20 batsman in the world has scores 20+ in 11 of his last 15 internatioanl T20 innings. The last time he faced England in T20s, he averaged 28.75 across four games in England. Back him to get the Kiwis off to a good start at the top of the order.
