Black Caps coach Gary Stead has plenty to ponder ahead of the second test against England. Photo: Photosport
Black Caps coach Gary Stead concedes his side is lacking confidence after their comprehensive loss to England.
New Zealand were beaten by 267 runs in Tauranga with the best part of two days to spare, outplayed with bat, ball and in the field in the first in Tauranga.
It was the Black Caps' first loss to England on home soil since 2008 and their fourth in succession but Stead doesn't believe there needs to be changes to the squad going into second test in Wellington.
"They're on a roll and playing with some real confidence," Stead said of the England side.
"I don't think it's unfair to say we are probably lacking a little bit of that confidence at the moment because you don't get the results.
"But I can assure you, the faith is still with this group of guys," said Stead.
The Black Caps batters also found themselves under the pump against the most successful bowling duo in test cricket history and will have to come with a plan to counter them at the Basin Reserve. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
"We believe these are our best cricketers and we are going to put everything behind them to make sure we can go out there in Wellington and really, I guess, throw some punches back at England as well."
Despite an injury to Kyle Jamieson and the absence of fast bowler Matt Henry as he awaited the birth of his first child, New Zealnd Cricket decided against calling up former pace spearhead Trent Boult, who opted out of his national contract to play in the lucrative T20 competitions around the world.
Two debutants Blair Tickner and Scott Kuggeleijn
All the bowlers came in for punishment from England's aggressive batting, with Neil Wagner especially roughed up as he conceded above eight runs an over in the second innings.
Henry is available for the second test starting at Basin Reserve on Friday in a boost for the hosts but there was again no S.O.S. sent out to Boult as selectors stick to picking contracted players.
Stead said he was pleased with how debutants Scott Kuggeleijn and Blair Tickner played at Mount Maunganui.
"They kept coming hard. They kept stepping back up once they'd been hit and came back hard again," he said.
"That's what we're about as a team, as well. We don't claim to be the best team in the world, or anything like that."
-Reuters
