Kane Williamson tests positive for COVID-19

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is out of the second Test match against England starting on June 10 (Friday) in Trent Bridge, Nottingham, after testing positive for COVID-19 on the previous day of the match. He will be kept in isolation for five days, and in his absence, batter Tom Latham will take over the skipper duties for the Kiwis.

Williamson is regarded as one of the best batters in the current, and New Zealand coach Gary Stead said that it is a shame for the 31-year-old to get forced to withdraw only on the eve of an important match. 33-year-old opener Hamish Rutherford, who is currently in England playing in the domestic Twenty20 (T20) competition, will come into the squad for the second Test match.

We’re all feeling for him at this time: New Zealand Coach Gary Stead

Stead said that he knows how disappointed Williamson would be and that the rest feel for him at this time. New Zealand lost their opening Test match of the series at Lord’s after the hosts chased down 277 with five wickets in hand, courtesy of batter Joe Root’s unbeaten hundred. It is a must-win game for the visitors going into the second match of the three-match series, and losing their captain is a major setback for the Blackcaps. 

“It’s such a shame for Kane to be forced to withdraw on the eve of such an important match. We’re all feeling for him at this time and know how disappointed he will be,” said Stead as quoted by The Indian Express.

England, in the first Test match, started the opening day with a statement performance, bowling out the Kiwis for only 132 runs, with their veteran bowler James Anderson bagging four wickets in his comeback Test match. The Kiwis replied strongly by knocking out the Three Lions for only 141 with their senior pace bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult picking up four and three wickets respectively. 

New Zealand, going into their second innings trailing by only nine runs, set a strong target of 277 after batter Daryl Mitchell scored 108, complemented by keeper-batter Tom Blundell with a knock of 96. England, started their chase poorly, with their top-three batters Alex Lees, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope, all departing before the 17th over, leaving England at 46 for three wickets. It was the partnership between Root and captain Ben Stokes that set the tone of the match, with the former scoring 115* and Stokes scoring 54. Keeper-batter Ben Foakes also stood firm until the end with an unbeaten 32 of 92 deliveries.