Black Caps to unleash all out pace in three-test England series

Wednesday, 6 May 2026

Kyle Jamieson’s most recent test was against South Africa in Mt Maunganui in February 2024.

ANALYSIS: The Black Caps look likely to take on Bazball with a barrage of pace.

The New Zealand squad to meet Ireland in a four-day test, followed by a three-test series versus England, will be named on Thursday morning and is set to feature a top-drawer lineup of quick bowlers.

That would be a vast change from the squad which finished NZ’s last test series, against the West Indies in December.

Should they have come through well from their recent white-ball outings for the national side and their respective T20 franchises, Will O’Rourke, Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears could all take their places for the tour.

Add veteran spearhead Matt Henry, Nathan Smith and possibly Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes to the mix, and the tourists will be capable of launching an attack of speed, swing and seam versus the home side coached by Brendon McCullum.

With the test versus Ireland to be played at Stormont in Belfast from May 27-30, an extended squad is set to be named, with the Indian Premier League playoffs taking place at the same time.

At this stage, Duffy and allrounder Glenn Phillips look the most likely Black Caps to be involved in the IPL post-season, with Henry, Foulkes and Jamieson also possibilities.

Given the back stress fracture injuries that have hit O’Rourke and Jamieson in particular in recent years, coach Rob Walter and selector Gavin Larsen may opt to carry plenty of quicks, and possibly rotate them throughout the four tests over the space of a month.

Jamieson played his most recent test in February 2024, while O’Rourke suffered his major injury last July in the first test against Zimbabwe.

Matt Fisher and Blair Tickner, who were both part of the NZ squad in white-ball matches in Bangladesh recently, are other options.

The Black Caps fielded a pace attack of Duffy, Foulkes, Tickner and Michael Rae in the second test against the Windies at the Basin Reserve, with Henry, O’Rourke, Jamieson, Smith, Sears and Fisher all unavailable due to injury.

Tickner dislocated a shoulder while fielding on day one of that match, and NZ played the third and final test in Mt Maunganui with Duffy, Foulkes and Rae as the quick bowling trio, with Ajaz Patel taking spin duties and allrounders Phillips and Daryl Mitchell chipping in.

The Black Caps will be without left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Mitchell Santner for at least two tests after he suffered a grade three AC shoulder injury while fielding in the Indian Premier League for his Mumbai Indians side.

That should see offspinning allrounder Michael Bracewell being included in the squad to possibly complement the pace attack in an XI. Patel is another option, but with the veteran left-arm spinner already playing county cricket in England, he could stay with Leicestershire and be on call if required for the national team.

NZ’s batting should take care of itself, with Kane Williamson set to play against England, but possibly missing the Ireland encounter.

Captain Tom Latham and Devon Conway will be the first-choice openers, with Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell in the middle-order, while there could be room in the squad for both Will Young and Henry Nicholls as the back-up batters.

Tom Blundell is expected to keep the job as wicketkeeper-batter, after returning from injury to play the third test against the West Indies following a promising debut by Mitch Hay at the Basin Reserve.

McCullum has been under fire since England were hammered 4-1 in The Ashes series in Australia last summer, but a two-month internal review by the England Cricket Board saw the former Black Caps skipper maintain his job.

England are expected to name their squad in the week of May 18, with the tests to be played at Lord’s (June 4-8), The Oval (June 17-21) and Trent Bridge (June 25-29) respectively.

Possible Black Caps squad (*Ireland test only)

Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper), Michael Bracewell, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Nathan Smith, Zak Foulkes*, Jacob Duffy*, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke.