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Auckland, May 17 (Ians) New Zealand pace bowler Neil Wagner, whose variations in short-pitched deliveries will be a big challenge for India in the World Test Championship (Wtc) final, said Kiwis are better prepared than they ever were before touring England thanks to their practice with the Dukes ball.

New Zealand, who play two Tests against England from June 2 to June 14 before playing the Wtc final against India from June 18, used the Dukes ball at the pre-departure camp in Lincoln.

"It's been quite nice, it's obviously got different characteristics to the Kookaburra. The way we've been training for the last while is something we didn't always have in the past, having the facilities and having a marquee up and getting a number of trainings in before going to England," Wagner told New Zealand media reporters at the Auckland airport just before departing to England.

"On tours in the past you rock...

Southampton, May 18 (Ians) New Zealand pace bowler Neil Wagner has said that the World Test Championship (Wtc) final will be a battle between bowling attacks as he acknowledged the depth in Indian attack. India and New Zealand lock horns in the Wtc final from June 18.

While India are carrying six pace bowlers in their main squad of 20 for the tour of England which includes Wtc final, there are three other pacers travelling as standby.

Besides potent pace bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami among others, India also have an experienced spin attack led by R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

New Zealand, on the other hand, have a potent seam attack with Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Wagner. They have Mitchell Santner as their lead spinner.

"There are a lot of quality bowlers up on show. India has a number of quality fast bowlers in their side,...

Auckland, May 18 (Ians) New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor said he was confident about overcoming a calf strain and becoming fit ahead of the two-Test series against hosts England and the World Test Championship (Wtc) final against India.

New Zealand begin their campaign at Lord's when they take on England in the first Test from June 2. The Black Caps will play the Virat Kohli-led India in the Wtc final at Southampton from June 18.

The 37-year-old Taylor is in the spotlight as the dependable batsman recently suffered a calf strain during the Black Caps' training at their high-performance centre at Lincoln earlier this month.

However, he allayed those fears on Monday, saying, "Obviously you don't want to have those little niggles and this [calf] niggle came about trying to get the hamstring right," said Taylor.

"It's part and parcel of being an international cricketer," Taylor told cricinfo.com as he along with Tim Southee,...

Auckland, May 18 (Ians) New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor says he was confident about overcoming a calf strain and becoming fit ahead of the two-Test series against hosts England and the World Test Championship (Wtc) final against India.

New Zealand begin their campaign with the first Test against England from June 2 at Lord's, London. They will play the Virat Kohli-led India in the Wtc final from June 18 in Southampton.

The 37-year-old Taylor is in the spotlight as the dependable batsman recently suffered a calf strain during New Zealand's training at their high-performance centre in Lincoln this month.

However, Taylor allayed those fears on Monday. "Obviously, you don't want to have those little niggles and this [calf] niggle came about trying to get the hamstring right," he told espncricinfo.com

"It's part and parcel of being an international cricketer," he said.

Taylor, along with Tim Southee, Bj Watling and Neil Wagner, were...

Christchurch, Dec 31 (Ians) New Zealand pace bowler Neil Wagner, whose dismissal of Pakistan's Fawad Alam and Faheem Ashraf in Wednesday's last session sealed the first Test for the Kiwis, has been ruled out of the second Test that begins here on January 3.

Wagner, who ended 2020 as the world's No. 4 ranked bowler, put up a brave show in the first Test by continuing to bowl despite breaking two toes and requiring pain-killing injections during the game.

The Kiwis were facing a draw with Pakistan just four down when they entered the final session on the last day of the first Test at Mount Maunganui. However, Wagner removed centurion Alam and followed it up with the wicket of the last recognised batsman Ashraf to dent Pakistan resistance.

Wagner has been asked to rest for six weeks.

The Kiwis may bring in Matt Henry to replace him.

"I need to get down there...

Dubai, Dec 31 (Ians) India's stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane has moved to No. 6 in Icc world rankings for Test batsmen, jumping five places thanks to his century in the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson jumped two places to end 2020 as the world's top-ranked batsman even as Steve Smith slipped two places to third after failures in the first two Tests against India. Virat Kohli, on paternity leave in India, retained his second spot.

Williamson scored a century against Pakistan in the first Test at Mount Maunganui this week as his team defeated the visitors by 101 runs. The effort earned him man-of-the-match award and valuable points.

This is the first time the Kiwi skipper has moved to the top of the world Test batting rankings since 2015. Smith and Kohli have occupied the top spot over the last five years.

Williamson has 890 rating points...

By Khurram Habib

New Delhi, Dec 30 (Ians) Ahead of the Indian Premier League (Ipl) this year, while the focus of all participating players was on white-ball cricket, Ajinkya Rahane was preparing in Mumbai intensely with the red ball for the tour of Australia even though he was going to bat for Delhi Capitals prior to that in the Ipl.

Rahane's hard work seems to have paid off as he smashed a match-winning 112 against Australia in the second Test to help India win by eight wickets and level the four-match series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"This year has been a challenge because of Covid. It was tough to have proper practice sessions. Also the tour was such that there would be Ipl in UAE and from there he was going to Australia. We prepared him not for Ipl but for Australia. We knew that Aussies will come back strongly, especially with the short balls.

Mount Maunganui, Dec 30 (Ians) New Zealand beat a resilient Pakistan by 101 runs in the last few minutes of the fifth day's play to go 1-0 up in the two-Test series and reclaim the second spot in the Icc World Test Championship points table.

Pakistan entered the final day in quite a hopeless situation at 71 for three, needing 302 to win with seven wickets in hand. The Kiwis' strong bowling line-up looked favourites to topple Pakistan in the 90 overs they had at their disposal on the last day.

New Zealand got rid of overnight batsman Azhar Ali in just the second over of the day with pace bowler Trent Boult removing him for 38.

It then seemed that the game would be over in the first session itself. However, Fawad Alam scored a century (102 off 269 balls) and added 165 for the fifth wicket with Mohammed Rizwan, who made his second half-century in the first Test,...

Hamilton, Dec 6 (Ians) New Zealand registered a comprehensive win by an innings and 134 runs in the first Test against West Indies at the Seddon Park on Sunday.

On Day Four of the Test match, Jermaine Blackwood scored his second Test century and Alzarri Joseph, a breakthrough career-best score but their heroics couldn't avoid the inevitable as pacers Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner ripped through West Indies' lower order to wrap up the victory for the Black Caps.

Starting the day at 196/6, 185 runs behind New Zealand's first innings score of 519/7, the visitors eventually fell for 247 in the second innings after being forced to follow-on as Jamieson and Wagner picked up the last three wickets in the space of 10 balls to hand New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Blackwood and Joseph, who had counter-attacked on the third evening on Saturday, continued bravely on Sunday morning and added a record...

Hamilton, Dec 6 (Ians) Left-arm New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner, who has become famous for troubling Test batsmen around the world with his short-pitched bowling, has insisted that he doesn't want to be seen as a one-trick pony.

Wagner got some noticeable swing in the first Test against the West Indies at the Seddon Park which the Black Caps won by an innings and 134 runs on Sunday. He took 2/15 in the first innings and led the New Zealand wicket haul in the second innings with 4/66 to take his Test tally in 212 wickets in 49 matches.

"I've always worked on that," Wagner was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz while talking about the swing.

"I don't want to be seen as a one-trick pony. I know I can do other things. In first-class cricket I do work really hard on those sorts of skills. It's summing up the conditions and what's in front of you.

Hamilton, Dec 5 (Ians) New Zealand were on the brink of a big innings win over West Indies when stumps were drawn after the third day's play in the first Test.

West Indies, who were six down for 196 in the second innings after being forced to follow on, are still 185 runs behind. They had capitulated for 138 in the first innings as the New Zealand pace attack, led by Tim Southee who got four wickets for 35, did not allow any of the visiting batsmen to reach even 30.

Trent Boult took one for 30 while Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner took two wickets each.

The West Indians had begun well in the first innings with openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell putting on a half-century stand for the first wicket but then they lost three wickets for just two runs. They could never recover from there.

In their second innings, West Indies got off to a very poor start,...

With back to back Ashes series this year, it could be hard to forget that New Zealand will be gracing our shores this season. However, after England only just held the Kiwi’s to a 0-0 draw away from home earlier this year, Andy Flower will want his side to start the season strong against a side ranked six places lower than his England side. Here’s my preview of the first of many tests this summer for our national side.

After the disappointing away series in New Zealand at the start of 2013, Andy Flower will be hoping his side can put aside any doubts and whitewash a team who currently sit 8th in both the Test and Odi Rankings. When you consider that England sit 2nd in those two disciplines, the series shouldn’t pose any serious threat to the home side, but the series at the start of...