Joe Root’s first duty back in charge of England was a simple call at the toss. The coin fell his way on a damp, grey Oval morning and, without much fuss, he asked New Zealand to bat. A half-hour delay for drizzle had already hinted there might be a bit of movement around; Root clearly felt the quicker men could make the most of it.
England have ripped up last week’s winning XI, five changes in all, three of them uncapped players. Jordan Cox, Somerset keeper-batter James Rew and 21-year-old quick Sonny Baker all debut. Add Emilio Gay and Matt Fisher – one cap each – and it is the most inexperienced England side since the 1993 Ashes. Root was upbeat about the freshness in the room, saying there was a “huge amount of skill and excitement around what they can deliver”.
Jamie Smith would have kept wicket but slipped out on paternity leave after the birth of his daughter. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson are both left out for disciplinary reasons. The result is a line-up that looks raw on paper yet, on Root’s reading, full of possibility.
Over in the New Zealand camp, Tom Latham admitted he would have bowled too. “It looks a good surface, hopefully we can start well.” The pitch does show a green tinge, although Oval strips have generally flattened out for the batters in recent summers. Whether the moisture in the air lingers beyond the first session is the unknown.
The tourists have just one enforced alteration. Henry Nicholls replaces the newly retired Kane Williamson at No 3, a sizeable pair of shoes by any measure. Nicholls’ own Test action has been sporadic – only two appearances since late 2023 – but the last of those brought an unbeaten 150, so there is form in the locker. For the seamers, Matt Henry has shrugged off the back spasm that restricted him at Lord’s and keeps his place.
Williamson’s sudden exit has clearly hit the dressing-room. “It’s been an emotional week since we got the news, he leaves a fantastic legacy for the group,” Latham reflected. “Disappointed not to have him here now but we understand his decision.” It is a sober note in a series that is otherwise rolling along briskly.
Root resumes the captaincy as an “interim” option – the official wording from the ECB – nearly four years after stepping down in Grenada. No one from that Barbados XI survives, which underlines how fast England’s red-ball landscape keeps shifting. Whether this patch-work side settles quickly could define the match.
The conditions, a new-ball morning, three green quicks in Josh Tongue, Fisher and Baker alongside Jofra Archer: there is enough pace on call. But much will still lean on Root’s own batting once England have the willow in hand, particularly with such an inexperienced top three ahead of him.
Teams
England: Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (capt), Harry Brook, James Rew (wk), Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matt Fisher, Sonny Baker.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Will O’Rourke, Matt Henry.
First ball, finally, due at 11.30. If the cloud hangs around, expect plenty to happen before lunch.
