New Zealand announce replacement of injured all-rounder ahead of ZIM vs NZ 2nd Test

New Zealand’s Test fast bowling all-rounder, Nathan Smith, has been ruled out of the upcoming second Test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Park Oval in Bulawayo due to an abdominal strain. He has been replaced by the pace bowling all-rounder of the Blackcaps, Zakary Foulkes, who gets his maiden call-up in the red-ball squad.

Nathan picked up the injury on the second day of the opening Test of the two-match series while batting. After medical treatment, he went for a couple of balls before leaving the field, raising a huge concern among the home team management. The MRI scans confirmed that the injury will need another two to four weeks for its full recovery.

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Along with Smith’s replacement, the Kiwis have also included the fast bowler, Ben Lister, in the squad as a cover for Will O’Rourke, who experienced back stiffness on the third day of the opening Test at the same venue. He is under monitoring as the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) press release has stated. The lanky pacer went through 23 overs in two innings and ended with figures of 3/28 in the second stint.

New Zealand bring Zakary Foulkes as injured Nathan Smith’s replacement

Smith returned with figures of 3/20 during Zimbabwe’s first innings with the bat when they were bundled out for just 149 runs on the board. He left the field at the end of the 93rd over of the Kiwis’ only innings with the bat, having collected 22 runs off 79 balls, and didn’t return to the field for the remainder of the fixture.

Lister, who hasn’t played a red-ball game yet in international cricket, has been part of three ODIs and 12 T20Is for the Blackcaps. However, his last international game came more than a year ago in Pakistan. Foulkes, on the other hand, has played 19 first-class games and has 57 wickets, besides his 544 runs at an average of under 20.

New Zealand has already taken a lead of 1-0 in the series with a comfortable victory by nine wickets as Matt Henry impressed with match figures of 9/90. Questions are also on the fitness of Tom Latham, the standing captain, who missed the previous game with a shoulder injury.