New Zealand vs England | Cricket Match Prediction | 3rd Test | Dec 14 – Can ENG whitewash NZ?

NZ vs ENG Match Analysis

At 04:00 am BST on December 14, 2024, Seddon Park, Hamilton, will host the third and final Test of a three-match Test series between New Zealand and England.

New Zealand, fresh off an impressive series victory against India, aimed to deliver a strong performance on their home turf.

However, England has displayed dominance in all aspects of the game, establishing a commanding 2-0 lead. Their recent form indicates they hold the upper hand in this encounter.

NZ vs ENG Team Preview & Squads

New Zealand 

New Zealand, fresh off a triumphant series in India, had positioned themselves as strong contenders for the WTC finals. However, their fortunes have taken a sharp downturn at home, suffering a comprehensive defeat in the first two Tests against England. With the series already lost, the Kiwis will aim to salvage pride and avoid a whitewash.

NZ’s batting has been underwhelming, with openers Devon Conway and Tom Latham averaging below 25 across four innings. Conway’s injury-enforced absence adds to their struggles, providing an opportunity for Will Young, who impressed against India with 244 runs at an average of 49, to step in.

In the middle order, Kane Williamson has been the only consistent performer, while Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, and Tom Blundell have yet to make significant contributions. Ravindra, in particular, is due for a big score on this Test.

On the bowling side, the attack has been average. Tim Southee, potentially playing his final series, has managed only four wickets, while Matt Henry has been the standout with 9 wickets at an average of 26.55. A potential change could see Mitchell Santner replacing William O’Rourke for the next 

New Zealand Squads

New Zealand

Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Jacob Duffy, Tom Latham, Matt Henry, Tom Blundell, Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Will O’Rourke, Will Young, and Daryl Mitchell.

England

England has delivered a dominant performance on this tour, securing a historic series victory in New Zealand for the first time in over 15 years with back-to-back commanding wins.

Harry Brook has been in outstanding form, amassing 349 runs in just three innings at an average of 116, including two centuries and a fifty. He has received strong support from Joe Root, Ollie Pope, and Jacob Bethell in the middle order, maintaining a steady flow of runs.

At the top of the order, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley have laid a solid foundation, while captain Ben Stokes adds depth and firepower to an already formidable batting lineup.

ENG’s bowlers have been equally impressive, with Brydon Carse leading the charts as the series’ top wicket-taker, claiming 16 wickets in four innings at an average of 12.81. Gus Atkinson’s hat-trick in the previous match highlighted his knack for delivering in key moments, while Chris Woakes has provided consistent support. Shoaib Bashir’s spin has added another dimension to England’s attack.

England Squads

England

Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Chris Woakes, Harry Brook, Gus Atkinson, Jack Leach, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Joe Root, Jordan Cox, Shoaib Bashir, Rehan Ahmed, and Ben Duckett.

New Zealand vs England outfield report

Seddon Park Hamilton

At Seddon Park, statistics indicate that teams typically do better when they field first. Therefore, bowling may be the option for the captain who wins the toss.

The first two days will be extremely warm in Hamilton. There will be a lot of clouds on the third day, and there may be some afternoon showers on the fourth day, which could cause the game to be interrupted. The weather will be clear on the match’s last day.

At Seddon Park, the first-innings average is 310. At this location, the average run per wicket is 31.77. The first-batting team will aim to reach a total of 350–400 runs. 

New Zealand vs England Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

In their last five encounters, New Zealand has won one and England has won four.

New Zealand vs England Prediction

Cricket analysts predict England has a 53% chance of winning.

Disclaimer: This cricket prediction is based on the author’s insights and analysis. Readers should consider the points discussed and draw their own conclusions.