New Zealand will take on Sri Lanka in the second Test of the two-match series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. The hosts have won the first Test, and they will aim to win the series. Basin Reserve’s pitch will again be looked at with great interest.
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New Zealand’s batter Kane Williamson proved his class in the last match, and he will again be the main batter of the side. Captain Tim Southee’s record has been brilliant at this ground, and he will again be an asset for the side. The batters of the side will be looking to improve their performances.
Sri Lanka fought well in the last match, and they would be looking to get a result in their favour this time. All-rounder Angelo Mathews batted really well in the last match, whereas the pacers of the side were also quite impressive.
Basin Reserve Wellington pitch report
Wellington’s Basin Reserve is set to host its second Test match within a month. England and New Zealand recently faced each other in a February, where New Zealand registered an excellent victory by just a mere run. This pitch has generally been heaven for the pacers, but there was an equal competition between bat and ball in the last match mere.
The pictures of the pitch have been released on Twitter, and it looks like a lush green surface. This is a typical Wellington pitch, and the pacers will enjoy their time out there in the middle. The batting is expected to be tough in this match, and they will have to settle down in order to score runs. As the match will go on, the shorter balls will be used in the later days.
A look at the @BasinReserve pitch with skipper Tim Southee ahead of the 2nd Test against @OfficialSLC tomorrow in Wellington 🏏 #NZvSL pic.twitter.com/5t5f9VlF0e
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 16, 2023
The average first-innings score here has been 309 runs, whereas the average fourth-innings score has been 141 runs. Both captains may opt to bat upon winning the toss in this game. However, the overcast conditions may tempt the captains to bowl first as well.