England have recalled seamer Matthew Potts for the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, with captain Ben Stokes looking to build depth in his bowling attack after already securing the series. Potts, who will take the new ball in the final Test starting on Saturday, replaces Chris Woakes in the squad.
England clinched the series with dominant victories in Christchurch and Wellington, securing their first series win in New Zealand since 2008.
Potts, 26, has had a mixed international career, since making his debut in 2022 against New Zealand at Lord’s, where he impressed on debut by taking seven wickets, including twice dismissing the legendary Kane Williamson. Despite his promising start, Potts has struggled to secure a permanent place in the team since then.
Stokes praised Potts’ potential, saying, “He’s got a massive engine and he fully deserves another chance.” The England captain also emphasized the importance of giving opportunities to players who haven’t featured regularly. “Two-nil up, you put yourself obviously in an easier position to make that change,” Stokes explained. “We want to be giving experience to the guys who don’t necessarily always get the opportunity.”
The recall of Potts reflects England’s strategy of providing exposure to less experienced players, with none of the specialist bowlers in the squad – Potts, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, and spinner Shoaib Bashir – having played more than 14 Tests.
While Woakes has been solid in the series, taking six wickets at just under 30, Stokes clarified that his omission wasn’t due to poor form. “Chris Woakes came into the winter tours with a bit of scrutiny behind his away record, but I think what he’s done has proven a lot of people wrong,” Stokes said, highlighting Woakes’ contributions in both Pakistan and New Zealand.
England XI for third Test:
- Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes (capt), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Shoaib Bashir
On the New Zealand side, captain Tom Latham confirmed that Will Young would replace Devon Conway, who stayed home to attend the birth of his child. Latham, however, will wait to see the conditions at Seddon Park on Saturday before finalizing his XI, with spinner Mitchell Santner possibly replacing one of the seamers. Latham also hinted that veteran Tim Southee would feature in his 107th and final Test before retirement.
Latham acknowledged New Zealand’s underperformance in the series, saying, “We know we haven’t played to our potential the last couple of games but hopefully we can put on a good showing for the fans.” With the series already decided, Latham’s men are keen to prove themselves in front of their home crowd.
New Zealand (from): Tom Latham (capt), Will Young, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Will O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy.
