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Gary Stead Shares What New Zealand Bowlers Need to Do in Christchurch
By Shruti - Feb 25, 2020 2:00 pm
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New Zealand coach Gary Stead felt that the pace attack of New Zealand had never been more accurate than in their 10-wicket win against India in the first Test in Wellington but he also expected that India would bounce back in the second match in Christchurch. Pace spearheads Tim Southee and Trent Boult have returned to the team after missing New Zealand’s last Test against Australia earlier this year and combined to take 14 of the 20 wickets at the Basin Reserve.

Gary Stead

Tim Southee had the match figures of 9 for 110, while debutant Kyle Jamieson did very well with 4-39 in India’s below-par first innings total.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the bowling unit and the way they went about taking 20 wickets on a pitch that had a little bit in it the whole time,” Stead told reporters on Tuesday, the day after his side completed the win early on the fourth day. “From my perspective I think it was our most accurate performance with the ball,” he added.

“Yes, that was a surprise,” Stead said. “But I think that’s testament to the amount of pressure we put on them for a long period of time. We picked up wickets at times you might consider were critical in the match … and I guess that was the catalyst for the win. We got on a roll and I think when teams do that they can be hard to beat.”

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Stead said that Neil Wagner, who wasn’t featured the first game, will join the team in Christchurch for the second Test at Hagley Oval which will begin on Feb. 29.

“Whoever we go with, we know we will have to put in a performance that we did in this game, because we know India will get better,” he said. “If we can be as accurate or as clinical as we were in this first game then we will be in for a cracking Test.”