Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
New Zealand seam attack depth has given captain Tom Latham confidence before the first Test against England at Lord’s, with Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke both back in contention.
New Zealand begin the three-match series on Thursday with Matt Henry set to lead the attack, while Nathan Smith’s recent county cricket experience could help him earn a place as the fourth seamer.
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Latham Welcomes Bowling Options
Jacob Duffy is unavailable because of paternity leave, but New Zealand still have Blair Tickner and Zak Foulkes in the squad.
Latham smiled when asked if the quicks were fully fit and available, saying, “they sure are,” before calling the selection depth an “awesome” situation.
"You've got Henners [Henry] and Nathan Smith that are able to move the ball in the air or off the surface, and then you've got the height of Jamieson, O'Rourke, Tickner," Latham said.
"We're certainly fortunate that we've had guys that do offer something slightly different than maybe what we've had in the past."
Henry Leads New-Look Group
Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner have all moved on since New Zealand’s last tour of England four years ago, leaving Henry as the leader of the attack.
"He's been fantastic for us. He's a strike weapon. He's got a lot of great skills, and he leads the attack really well," Latham said.
New Zealand beat Ireland in a one-off Test last week and now face England, India, Australia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan in a busy Test stretch.
Latham expects England to make adjustments after their 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, but said New Zealand must focus on conditions and respond to what happens in front of them.
Official New Zealand cricket updates are available through New Zealand Cricket.