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New Zealand suffered a major blow in the ongoing 3rd Test match against England at Trent Bridge. Fast bowler Blair Tickner has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a concussion. The team has named Zak Foulkes as the concussion substitute in place of Tickner.
On Day 2 of the first innings, while batting for New Zealand, a bouncer from the England pacer Jofra hit Blair Tickner right on the helmet. He remained not out for 4 and even took the field later on the day and bowled three overs before being ruled out of the match.
Zak Foulkes in, Blair Tickner out
Zak Foulkes, another pacer, joins the line-up in place of Tickner. As per the MCC rules, teams are allowed to name a like-for-like replacement for the injured player. So Foulkes, who is also a fast bowler, fits under the rule. The rule also allows the substitute player, who joins the team as a concussion substitute, to do both bat and ball.
The New Zealand Cricket (NZC) issues an official statement regarding the change in their playing combination.
“Blair Tickner has been ruled out of the remainder of the third Test against England at Trent Bridge with concussion after being struck on the helmet while batting in the first innings. Zak Foulkes has been named as Tickner’s replacement,” the governing body informs through an official statement.
New Zealand and England are both pushing hard to claim the match and the series
As of now, the crucial match at Trent Bridge is hanging by a thread as the England batters are also doing well in their first innings. In the first innings, New Zealand scored 438 runs for 10 wickets. Most of the runs they claimed were through their opening wicket stand.
Captain and the opener of the team, Tom Latham, got 151 runs, and Devon Conway, the other half of the opening pair, registered a 157-run knock. With two hundred and fifty plus runs, the visitors secured a partnership of 317 runs for the first wicket.
Later, after the dismissals of both of the batters, the England bowling unit made a brilliant comeback and restricted the opposing team to 438 runs. As the openers set the tone right at the beginning of the innings, the Kiwis had a golden opportunity to pile up more runs to put the England cricket team under more pressure.
England is trailing by only 215 runs after Day 2
The first innings of the match show that the track has a lot to offer for the batters. The hosts also know that very well. At the stumps of Day 2, in reply to New Zealand’s 438, the Three Lions already have 223 runs with 8 wickets in hand.
England opener Ben Duckett scored a century to provide his team with a solid start. Duckett claimed 113 runs off 99 before going off guard. Jacob Bethell and experienced batter Joe Root will start Day 3 for the team. Bethell remains not out for 74, and Root remains not out for 21.
