England v New Zealand Test series: Things to watch

Jimmy Anderson, New Zealand’s record in England, and the next generation of seamers – the talking points ahead of England’s two-match Test series against New Zealand, scheduled to begin at Lord’s on June 2

England v New Zealand: All you need to know

England v New Zealand: Where to watch

Will Jimmy Anderson take his 1000th first-class wicket?

After taking three wickets for Lancashire in two LV= Insurance County Championship appearances, including his first career dismissal of Australia and Glamorgan batter Marnus Labuschagne, Jimmy Anderson is now within eight of his 1000th career first-class wicket. If selected, he has two shots at passing four figures against New Zealand – the only question is, can he do it?

Well, in 160 Test appearances, Anderson has taken 614 wickets, with 384 coming on home soil (from 89 matches). At Lord’s, the venue for the first Test, he has taken 103 wickets in 23 matches while at Edgbaston, his record is 44 wickets in 11 matches. Looking at his opposition, Anderson has 60 wickets in 14 appearances against New Zealand, including three five-fors, and has dismissed captain Kane Williamson on six occasions in 16 innings.

With these numbers backing him up, it’s probably safe for England’s media team to start preparing their highlight reels and celebratory graphics.  

New Zealand return to Lord’s

The Black Caps last visit to the home of cricket need little introduction. It was, of course, the 2019 Cricket World Cup final (which, for anyone who hasn’t heard, they lost to England in dramatic fashion) and Williamson and co. will be keen to return to winning ways in the capital.

Unfortunately, on English soil, the record books are less than flattering. New Zealand have played 54 Test matches in England  - winning five, losing 30 and drawing 19 - and haven’t won any of their last four series in the country. Their most recent series win in England was actually in the 20th century, a 2-1 win in summer 1999.

^{Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill at Lord's following New Zealand's defeat in the Cricket World Cup final}

Additionally, they’ve won just one Test at Lord’s (in 1999) in 17 attempts, losing eight and drawing eight, and have a 100% losing record at Edgbaston.

However, New Zealand haven’t played a Test in Birmingham in 22 years and are currently unbeaten in their past six Test matches, including a 2-0 victory over India. In their most recent series against England, they triumphed 1-0 in the southern hemisphere in November 2019 and secured a 1-1 draw away from home in 2015.

Currently ranked second in the ICC Test rankings, one place above their hosts, a lot has changed since New Zealand’s last series in England and even more since 1999. Who knows, come June 14, Williamson could make history as the first New Zealand captain to win a Test series in England in the 21st century.  

The next generation of English fast bowlers

In the absence of Jofra Archer (missing through injury) and Chris Woakes (IPL quarantine), and with Anderson and Stuart Broad in the twilight of their respective careers, there is a rare opportunity for someone to step up as England’s next fast bowling maestro. And in the running against New Zealand are a trio of 27-year-olds: Olly Stone, Ollie Robinson and Craig Overton.

Both Overton and Stone have played red-ball cricket for England, the former taking nine wickets in four appearances between 2017 and 2019, the latter capturing seven dismissals in two Tests against Ireland (2019) and India (2021). Robinson has been a regular name on the reserve list since last summer but is yet to make his international debut in any format.  

Of the three, Overton has had the best start to the County Championship season. The Somerset fast-medium bowler has taken 36 wickets in six appearances, including three five-fors, at an average of 12.86. Sussex’s Robinson, however, isn’t far behind with 29 wickets and best innings figures of 9 for 78 in five matches. Stone has played four matches for Warwickshire, taking 13 wickets at an average of 30.38.

Speaking ahead of the two-match series, England’s head coach Chris Silverwood pinpointed Overton and Robinson as the front-runners for selection, stating: "The two of them are competing realistically. They’ve done exceptionally well, hence they’re both in the squad, and they’re going to get an opportunity now which excites me."

However, it remains to be seen who will come out on top at the end of this series – new boy Robinson, tried and tested Overton, or outside bet Stone?

^{Olly Stone (L), Craig Overton (C) and Ollie Robinson (R)}

Bracey’s time to shine?

After an unfortunate dressing room injury ruled Ben Foakes out of England’s upcoming series, Gloucestershire wicketkeeper-batsman James Bracey is all but certain to make his Test debut against New Zealand. Admittedly, his County Championship form with the bat made him a likely starter before Foakes took a tumble, but the Surrey man’s absence means Bracey will be able to showcase his glovework too.

A highly-touted 24-year-old, Bracey had a breakout year in 2019 in both four-day and white-ball cricket and is in the form of his life in 2021, scoring 479 runs (one hundred, four fifties) in six Championship appearances.  And he delivered a taste of what he has to offer last summer with 85 runs for 'Team Buttler' during an England warm-up match.

Given England’s well-documented top-order struggles of late, Bracey may well be in the right place at the right time and could trigger some interesting conversations ahead of this winter’s Ashes.

Bye bye BJ

At the other end of his international career, New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling is retiring after the ICC World Test Championship final.

The 35-year-old made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2009 and has gone on to represent the Black Caps in 73 red-ball matches.

He is currently 10th in New Zealand’s Test run-scoring standings and needs 227 runs in his final three matches to become the ninth Kiwi (or tenth, if teammate Tom Latham beats him to it) to pass 4,000 Test runs. With the gloves, Watling has completed 257 dismissals (249 catches, eight stumpings) to date, topping New Zealand’s wicketkeeping charts and placing him ninth overall – one ahead of England’s Matt Prior and 12 behind Alan Knott.

An underrated 'keeper who deserves to bow out in style.