New Zealand handed the defending champions England a statement loss in the opening game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 despite not playing their first-choice team. New Zealand have been handicapped with the absence of their white-ball skipper Kane Williamson and red-ball captain Tim Southee as both of them are nursing injuries and are on the path to recovery while pacer Lockie Ferguson had a stiff back and didn't play the first game.
Now the Black Caps' head coach Gary Stead has come up with an update ahead of New Zealand's second group stage match against the Netherlands in Hyderabad. Stead confirmed that Ferguson is fit and is likely to play on Monday, October 9 but suspense remains over Southee's participation.
"Lockie Ferguson got through training really well so providing he is scrubbed up okay this morning, he will be available for this next game," Stead said. "Tim Southee also got through the training really well. It was great to see him back at the bowling crease and also doing a little bit of fielding as well.
"He will just get a final x-ray done this morning and we will make a call after that but it is all looking good for selection from now on and into the rest of the tournament," the Kiwi coach added.
Williamson, on the other hand, has been ruled out as per Stead as he mentioned that he batted well in the nets but his fielding skills need to be a little sharper.
"Kane's also been progressing very well. I think the fielding is still the element for him he's just got to get a little bit higher and get a little more trust in his body.
"But he is progressing really well and we are pretty confident he will be playing the third match for us. We have got another training to get through today so we will finalise the team once we have got through that training. At this stage with Kane, we are looking like the third game is when he will start the tournament," he added.
New Zealand already have two points in the kitty with a big net run rate boost with them set to face the Netherlands, Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the next three games, they will hope to add six more points before facing hosts India.
