England Names Matthew Potts to Replace Chris Woakes for Final New Zealand Test

Seamer Matthew Potts has been named as the sole alteration to England’s starting lineup for the third and conclusive Test match against New Zealand, set to commence at 22:00 GMT on Friday in Hamilton. This selection marks Potts’s 10th Test appearance and his second played away from home. The 26-year-old Potts will receive his 10th cap overall and his second during the current winter season, as England aims to secure a 3-0 series victory. Chris Woakes, whom Potts replaces, has claimed eight wickets across his three Test matches this winter, including one on a challenging pitch in Multan against Pakistan. England captain Ben Stokes commented to BBC Sport, stating, “We see this as another opportunity to give one of our crop of fast bowlers more game time. We’re looking forward to giving Pottsy the opportunity to get out there. He’s been training really well. Hopefully he can transfer his training into the game.” Potts, who plays for Durham, has accumulated 31 Test wickets with an average of 29. During his inaugural series against New Zealand in 2022, he dismissed the prominent New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson on three occasions across two games. Stokes further remarked, “He has got a massive engine on him, he can go all day and bowl a lot of overs. Not just that, he’s a very skilful bowler.” He added, “At 2-0 up we have put ourselves in an easier position to make that change. We want to be giving experience and opportunities to the guys who don’t necessarily always get that opportunity.” The 35-year-old Woakes is known for his less favorable performance statistics in away matches, holding an average of nearly 49, in contrast to his home average of 21.6. Nevertheless, he has delivered significant contributions this winter, securing vital wickets in the initial Test against Pakistan in Multan and subsequently in the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch. Stokes commented on Woakes’s performance, stating, “Chris Woakes has been very effective for us on our winter tours. He came in with a lot of scrutiny around his away record but has proven a lot of people wrong.” New Zealand is striving to prevent only their third 3-0 home series loss and their first such defeat in 24 years. The home team has not yet announced their starting XI for the match, which will mark seamer Tim Southee’s final Test appearance. Given the hot conditions anticipated in Hamilton, there is a possibility that spin-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner might be selected over pace bowler Nathan Smith, and opener Will Young is set to substitute for Devon Conway, who is on paternity leave. Southee, aged 36, is concluding his 16-year Test cricket career on his home ground. Across 106 matches, he has claimed 389 wickets, placing him second only to Sir Richard Hadlee on New Zealand’s historical list of leading wicket-takers. For this specific match, one end of Seddon Park has been renamed in honor of Southee. At the opposite end, a camel statue stands, referencing Southee’s nickname, ‘the Sexy Camel’. New Zealand captain Tom Latham stated, “He will be remembered as one of the greats of our game. We’ll certainly miss him but he will leave a legacy that will last for a long time.” This upcoming fixture will mark England’s 17th Test match of 2024, equaling their highest number of Tests played within a single calendar year. The year has been characterized by a period of team regeneration, seeing players such as James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, and Jack Leach substituted by Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Shoaib Bashir. Stokes reflected on the year, saying, “It has been a tough old slog. It’s a lot of Test matches in different conditions. It’s been great seeing guys put in some special performances. We’ve learnt a lot about guys we’ve given opportunities to.”