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SEAMER Matthew Potts has replaced Chris Woakes in the only change to the England XI for the third and final Test against New Zealand, which starts at 22:00 GMT on Friday in Hamilton.
Potts, 26, earns his 10th cap and second of the winter as England look for a 3-0 series clean sweep.
Woakes has taken eight wickets in his three Tests this winter, one of which was on an unforgiving surface in Multan against Pakistan.
“We see this as another opportunity to give one of our crop of fast bowlers more game time,” England captain Ben Stokes told BBC Sport.
“We’re looking forward to giving Pottsy the opportunity to get out there. He’s been training really well. Hopefully he can transfer his training into the game.”
Durham’s Potts has taken 31 Test wickets at an average of 29. In his debut series against New Zealand in 2022 he removed Kiwi talisman Kane Williamson three times in two matches.
“He has got a massive engine on him, he can go all day and bowl a lot of overs,” said Stokes. “Not just that, he’s a very skilful bowler.
“At 2-0 up we have put ourselves in an easier position to make that change. We want to be giving experience and opportunities to the guys who don’t necessarily always get that opportunity.”
Woakes, 35, has a notoriously poor record away from home, averaging almost 49, compared to 21.6 at home.
But he has made crucial interventions this winter, including key wickets in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan and again in the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.
“Chris Woakes has been very effective for us on our winter tours,” said Stokes. “He came in with a lot of scrutiny around his away record but has proven a lot of people wrong.”
New Zealand are battling to avoid only their third 3-0 home series defeat and first in 24 years.
The hosts have not confirmed their XI for what will be seamer Tim Southee’s farewell Test. In hot conditions in Hamilton, spin-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner could come in for pace bowler Nathan Smith, while opener Will Young replaces Devon Conway, who is on paternity leave.
Southee, 36, leaves Test cricket on his home ground after a 16-year career. In 106 matches he has taken 389 wickets and sits behind only the great Sir Richard Hadlee on New Zealand’s all-time wicket-takers list.
One end of Seddon Park has been renamed after Southee for this match. At the other end is a statue of a camel in reference to a Southee nickname ‘the Sexy Camel’.
“He will be remembered as one of the greats of our game,” said New Zealand captain Tom Latham. “We’ll certainly miss him but he will leave a legacy that will last for a long time.”
This will be England’s 17th Test of 2024, the joint-most they have played in a calendar year.
It has been a year of regeneration, with James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Jack Leach replaced by Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Shoaib Bashir.
“It has been a tough old slog,” said Stokes. “It’s a lot of Test matches in different conditions. It’s been great seeing guys put in some special performances. We’ve learnt a lot about guys we’ve given opportunities to.”
–bbcsport
A.I
Dec. 13, 2024
Tags: Chris Woakes SEAMER Matthew Potts
