Pick and Prediction for England vs. New Zealand (Third Test) – 2022 Cricket Series

The third and final Test between England and New Zealand is scheduled to get underway on Thursday, June 23. Following two thrilling matches at Lord’s and Trent Bridge, Headingley will host the culminating clash.

It’s been a memorable series for the hosts, who carry an unassailable 2-0 lead into the final match. With Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes at the helm, an exciting era is on the cards for English cricket.

But let’s not forget that New Zealand is among the world’s top-ranked Test teams. Can the Blackcaps salvage some pride in Yorkshire? Keep reading to discover my England vs. New Zealand prediction and betting pick.

Having won the previous two matches, England (1.86) is the bookmakers’ favorite to win the third Test. 10Bet views New Zealand (3.25) as the outsider, while the draw is priced at 4.25.

Since the second match went all the way to the third session of the final day, the juicy odds for the draw are bound to attract plenty of attention. That said, England won the first two Tests by five wickets.

In the first Test, New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat. But thanks to Matty Potts (4/13) and James Anderson (4/66), England dismissed the Kiwis for just 132 runs. However, England only managed to score 141 runs in reply.

Daryl Mitchell (108) and Tom Blundell (96) helped the visitors reach 285 in their second innings. Still, Joe Root (115*) and Ben Stokes (54) fired England to victory in the first session of day four.

In reply, the Blackcaps added another 284 runs. But it wasn’t enough. Jonny Bairstow bludgeoned 136 off just 92 balls, while Ben Stokes hit an unbeaten 75 to seal an extraordinary victory for England.

Before we settle on a betting pick for the third Test between England and New Zealand, we need to take a closer look at both sides.

It was always going to be difficult for McCullum and Stokes to pick up the pieces after a dismal run of results for England. Well, that’s what the majority of cricket fans thought.

In truth, the McCullum-Stokes era could not have started much better.

After chasing down 277 runs to win the first Test, England chased down 299 to secure a memorable triumph last time out. All of a sudden, the hosts find themselves 2-0 up with one match remaining in the series.

Of course, Bairstow’s outrageous knock in the second innings of the second Test is the major talking point of the series – and rightly so! But Root’s consistency with the bat is nothing short of remarkable.

England’s bowlers have looked sharp, too. Potts claimed figures of 4/13 and 3/55 in his debut Test match, while Anderson and Stuart Broad still look capable of competing at the very highest level – despite their age.

If the hosts can pick up where they left off in Nottingham, they will give New Zealand another seriously tough challenge.

The New Zealanders can count themselves pretty unfortunate to have suffered back-to-back defeats against England. The odds were stacked against the hosts, but they produced two stunning comebacks.

When you score 553 runs in the first innings of a Test, you expect to win the match. That said, you can’t legislate for the kind of performance that England dished up a Trent Bridge.

It wouldn’t be unfair to say that New Zealand’s bowlers struggled for long periods during the first two matches. Despite the best efforts of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, the Kiwis failed to deal with England in the second innings of both Tests.

Nevertheless, the tourists will be lifted by the return of captain Kane Williamson for the third match. The world’s #5 Test batsman missed the previous match due to COVID-19, but he should be fit enough to return for the Headingley Test.

Prior to the start of the three-match series, New Zealand was the bookmakers’ favorite to win. But a lot has changed since then. Now, England is in pole position to clinch a 3-0 whitewash.

The aggressive approach implemented by McCullum and Stokes has taken the team to a totally different level. Root is playing with freedom again, while players like Pope and Bairstow have produced supreme knocks.

I’m backing the hosts to maintain their winning streak in Yorkshire. Having already chased down two mammoth scores, Stokes and co. will be confident of sealing the deal.

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