NZ vs ENG | Will chop and change our side in third T20I, reveals Tim Southee
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New Zealand skipper Tim Southee has revealed that there is a high possibility of New Zealand changing their team combination heading into the third T20I in Nelson on Tuesday. After getting comprehensively beaten in the first T20I, the Kiwis bounced back in style to win the second T20I by 21 runs.
There were question marks surrounding both the quality of the New Zealand side and the mettle of Tim Southee as captain heading into the series but Southee and his men answered their critics in style by claiming a handsome win in the second T20I to level the five-match T20I series. The skipper himself starred with the ball, taking 2/25 off his 4 overs, as Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham piled misery on England with the bat.
Southee credited his men for their sublime performance on Sunday and admitted that better execution of plans resulted in giving them the desired result. But despite having now gotten on the board, the 30-year-old revealed that the management will make changes to the team depending on the conditions and the size of the ground.
"It was a better performance in all three areas. We wanted to go hard right through to the end. We executed our plans a little better, we need to keep changing depending on the ground and the sizes. We'll chop and change sides when we get to Nelson," Southee said in the post-match presentation, reported Cricbuzz.
The stand-in skipper also admitted that despite the win, there was scope for improvement in all areas for New Zealand, heading into the third T20I in Nelson.
"We are always looking to get better. There is still scope for improving in all three areas, but if we can keep playing the brand of cricket we like, then we'll go in the right direction."
The standout performer for the hosts with the ball was left-armer Mitchell Santner, who, for the second match running, claimed a three-wicket haul. The 27-year-old expressed his contentment with his performance with the ball and revealed that his side did well to adapt well on a tough ground to bowl which carried the threat of short boundaries.
"It's nice to get a few poles and nice to get a win and go 1-1. Nice to get a win and move on. We talked after the last game to be up on the field. When the fielders back the bowlers up it feels good.
"We were a little bit off in the last game, and we upped in all three departments. It was a good wicket and it's a tough ground with the small boundaries. We needed to adapt our plans and a little bit and we did that."
The two teams will lock horns in the third of the five T20Is in Nelson on November 5 (Tuesday).
